The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1865-03-25
THE CHILD'Ss STORY.
nY CHARLES DICKENS.


on his journey. So he went on for
little while without seeing any,
thing, until at last he came TO a
middle aged gentleman. So he said
TO the gentleman:
"What are you doing here!"
His answer was:
81 am always busy. Come and
be busy with me-"
So he began to be very busy with
/. the gentleman, and they went on
through the wood together. The
whole journey was through a wood,
only it had been open and green at
first, like a wood in spring: and now
began TO be thick and dark, like a
wood in summer; some of the little
trees THAT had come out earliest
were even turning brown. The
gentleman was not alone, but had
lady Of abou; the same age with
him, who was his wife, and they had
children who were with them too
So they all went down together
Through the wood. cutting down the
trees. and making path through
the branches and the fallen leaves,
and carrying, burdens, and working
hard.
Sometimes they came Ito long,
green avenue that opened into
deeper woods. Then they would
hear a very little distant voice cry
ing:
"Father, father, am another
child! Stop for me-"
And presently they would see
very little figure, grow larger as it
came along, running, running 10 join
them. When it came up, they all
crowded around it; and they all went
together.
Sometimes they came to several
avenues at once, and then they all
stood still, one of the children said:
"Father, | am going to sea-"
And another said:
"Father, ] am going TO India"
And another:
"Father, l am going to seek my
fortune where can"
And another said:
Father, am going to Heaven"
So with many tears at parting,
they went solitary, down those av-
enues, each child upon its way; and
the child who went to Heaven rose
into the golden air and vanished.
Whenever these partings happen
ed the traveller looked at the gen.
tleman, and saw him glance up at
the sky above the trees, where the
day was beginning to decline. and
the sunset to come on. He saw,
too, that his hair was turning gray.
But they never could rest long, for
they had their journey to perform.
and it was always necessary for
them TO be busy.
At last there had been so many
partings that there were no children
left, and only the traveller, the gen.
Sleman and the lady, went upon
their way in company. And now
the wood was yellow, and now
brown; and the leaves, even of the
forest trees began TO fall.
So they came to an avenue that
was darker than the rest, and were
pressing forward on their journey
without looking down it, when the
lady stopped.
"My husband" said the lady, 81
am called"
They listened and. they heard a
voice "a long way down the avenue
"Mother, mother"
II was the voice of the first child
who said:
81 am going TO heaven"
And the father said:
Il pray not yet. Sunset is very
near. pray not yet"
But the voice cried, "Mother,
motherp' without mindirg him, tho
his hair was now quite white and
tears were on his face.
Then, the mother, who was al
ready drawn into the shade OF the
dark avenue and moving away with
her arms still around his neck, kiss
ed him, and said:
"My dearest. am summoned and
Igo"'
And she was gone. And the
traveller and he were left alone to-
gether.
And they went on and ON toge,h-
er until they came to very near the
end Of the wood; SO near that they
could see the sunset shining red be-
fore the trees.
Yet once more, while he broke
his way among the branches, the
traveller lost his friend. He called
and called, but there was no reply,
and when he passed out Of the wood,
and saw the peaceful sun going
down upon a wide purple prospect,
he came TO an old man sitting on a
fallen tree. So he said TO the old
man: