Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-10-31
MISCELLANY Y.
The Child's Story.
ny CHARLES DICKENS.


and was to seem very long when he CON-
menced it, and very short when he got half
way through.
He travelled along rather dark path
for some little time, without meeting any
thing, until at last he came to beautiful
child
"What do you do here?"
And the child said:
/ am always at play, come and play
with me-"
So he played with that child the whole
day long, and they we're very merry. The
sky was SO blue, and the sun was so bright,
the water was so sparkling, the leaves we're
so green, the flowers were so lovely, and
they heard such singing birds, and so many
butterflies, that everything was beautiful.
This was in fine weather. When it rained
they loved TO watch the falling drops and to
smell the fresh scents. When il blew, il
was delightful to listen TO the wind, and
fancy what il said as il came rushing from
its home--where was that ?--ihey wonder
ed--wbistling and howIing, driving the
clouds before it, bending the trees, rumbling
the chimney, and making the sea roar 10
fury. Blu, when it showed. that was best
of all. for they liked nothing so well as to
look at the white flakes falling fast and
thick. like down from the breast of millions
of white birds, and to see how smooth and
deep the drift was, and to listen TO the hush
upon the paths and roads.
They had plenty Of the finest toys in
the world and the most astonishing picture
4. III .,I. al. Ill,
pers and turbans, and dwarfs and giants,
the genii and fairies. and blue boards ard
beanstalks, and riches and caverns and for
ests, and Valentines and Orsons, and all
new and all true. But one day.of sud-
den, the traveller lost the child. He called
TO him over and over again, but got no an
swer. So he went upon his road, and went
on for little while without meeting any
thing, until at last he came TO handsome
boy. So he said to the boy.
What do you do here."
And the boy said,
IL am always learning. Come and learn
with me"
So he learned witn that boy about Jspi-
ter and Juno, and the Greeks and the Ro-
mans, and | don't know what; and learned
more than could tell, or he either. for he
soon forgot q great deal of it But they
were not always learning; they had the
aaerriest games that ever were played
They rowed upon the river in summer,
and skated on the ice IN winter. they s.sA-,
active afoot, and on horseback at cricket.
and all games at ball; at prisoners base,
bare and hounds, follow my leader, and
more sports tiian ] can think Of; nobody
could beat them. They mad holidays too
and twelfth cakes, and parties where they
danced till midnight. and real theatres where
they saw palaces of real gold ana silver
rise out of the real earth, and saw all the
wonders of the world at once. As 10 friends
they had such dear friends and SO many o
them, that / want the lime TO reckon then
up. They we're all young Ike the hand
some boy, and were never to be strange tc
one another all their lives through.
Sill, one day, in the midst OF all these
pleasures, the traveller lost the boy as he
bad lost the child, and after calling him il
vain, went on upon his journey. So ht
went on for a little while without seeing
anything, until at last he came to youns
man. So he said to the young man,
"What do you do here.
And the young man said,
Il am always in love. Come and low
with me-"
So he went with the young man, an'
presently they came TO one OF the prethes
girls that ever was seen---just like Fanny
in the corner there--and she had eyes lik,
Fanny's, and she laughed and colored JUS
as Fauny does when | am talking abou
her. So the young man fell in love direct
. ly--iust as somebody l won't mention, tin
first time he came here, did with Fanny.
Wea. he was teased someiimes-sust a
somebody and Fanny used TO quarrel an
they made UP, and sat in the dark, am
wrore letteIs every day. and were nere
happy asunder, and were always iookln;
out for one another and pretending not 10
and were engaged at Christmas time, an'
sat close to one another by the fire an,
were going 20 be married very soon--al
exactly like somebody won't mention, ans
Fanny
But the traveller lost them one day, a
he had lost his other friends. and after call
ing to them to come back, which they nev
er did, went on his Journey. SO he wen
on for while without seeing anything, un
til at last he came TO middle-aged gentle
man. So he said to the gentleman,
What are you doing here ~
His answer was,
u am always busy. Come and be busy
with me-
/ So he began to be very busy with tn
gentleman, and they went on through tn
wood together. The whole journey wa
through wood. only it had been green an'
open a, first, like wood in spring; sn'
now began to be thick and dark, like
wood in summer some of the little tree
that had come out earliest were even turn
ing brown. The gentleman was not alone
|, but had lady of about the same age witt
him, who was his wife, and they had chill
dren who we're with them too. So they al
went down together through the wood, cut
, ting down the trees, and making Patl
through the branches and the fallen leaves
and carrying burdens, and working hard.
: Sometimes they came to long, gree
avenue that openeI into deeper woods
Then they would hear very httle distan
voice crying, Father, father. am anothe
child Stop for me-" And present.
they would see a very little figure, CROWN
larger as it came along. running. running
..1S. ,h..,, lyhan II came nm. they q