The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-26
The CAild's Story.
BA.CHAKIaES DICKENS.

The CNHHS story.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
Once upon a time, a good many years
ago, there was traveller, and ne sat out
upon a journey. 1t was a magicjOllrney,
and was to seem very long when hecOm-
menced it, and very short when he got
half way through.
He travelled along rather dark path
for some little time, without meeting
anything, until at last became to a beau
tiful child. So he said to the child,
..What do you do here?' And the child
said, IL am always at play. Come and
play with me -
So, he played with that child, the
whole day long and they We're very mer-
ry. The sky was SO blue, and the sun
was SO bright, the water was SO spark
ling, the leaves were SO green, the flow
ers were so lovely, and they heard such
singing birds, and saw SO many butter
flies, that everything was beautiful
This was in fine weather. When it rain
ed, they loved to watch the fallingdrOps,
and to smell the fresh scents. When it
blew, it was delightful to listen to the
wind, and fancy what it said, as it came
rushing from its home-Where was that,
they wondered! Whistling and howl
ing, driving the clouds before it, bend
ing the trees, rumbling the chlInneys,
shaking the house, and making the sea
roar in fury. But, when itsnowed, that
was best of all +; for they liked nothing
so well as to look up at the white flakes
falling fast and thick, like down from
the breast of millions ofWhite birds ; and
10 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 pic
ture books; all about scimeters and slip
pers and turhans, and dwarfs, and giants,
and genii and fairies, and blue-beardsa and
bean stalks and riches and caverns and
forests and Valentines and OrsOns and
all new and all true.
But, one day of asudden, the traveller
lost the child. He called to him over
and over again, but got, no answer. So
he went upon his road, and went on for
u little while without meeting anything,
until at last he came to handsome boy.
SO he said to the boy, "What do you DO
here ?" And the boy said, ~ am al
ways learning. Come and learn with
he"
So he learned with that boy about
Jupiter and Juno, and the Greeks and
the Romans, and Idon't know what, and
learned more than ! could tell--or he
either, for he soon forgot great deal OF
it. But, they were not always learning !;
wey had the merriest game tn at ever
there played. They rowed upon theriver
in summer, and skated on the ice in win
ter; they were active afoOt, and on
horseback and at cricket, and all games
at ball; prisoners base, hare and hounds,
follow NV leader and more SIOrfS than
could think Of; nobody could beat
twelfth cakes, and parties where they
danced till midnight, and real theatres
where they saw palaces of real gold and
silver rise out of the real earth, and saw
all the wonders of the world ut once
AS to friends, they had such dear friends
and SO many OF them, that l want the
time to reckon them up. They were all
young, like the handsome boy, and were
never to be strange to one another all
their lives through.
Still, one day, in the midst OF all these
pleasures, the traveller lost the boy as he
had lost the child, and, after calling to
him in vain, went on upon his journey
50 he went on for little while without
seeing anything, until at last he came t.
young man. SO he said to the youn,
man, .sWhat do you do here?' AM
the Young man said, 81 am always il
love. Come and love with me-"
So he went away with that young ma
and presently they came to one Of tn
prettiest girls that ever was seen jus
like Fanny in the corner there-aId sh
had ewes like Fanny's, and she laughe
and colored just as Fanny does when
am talking about her. So, the youn