The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-26


! was teased sometimes-iustas Somebody
and Fanny used to quarrelo and they
made it up, and sat in the dark, and wrote
letters, every day, and never were hap
py asunder, and were always looking out
Tor one another and pretending not to,
ana were engaged at Christmas time,
ana sat close to one another by the fire,
ana were going to be married very soon.
exactly like Somebody won't mention,
and Fanny!
But, the traveller lost them one day,
as ne had lost the rest of his friends, and
after calling to them to come back which
they never did, went on his iourney.-
SO he went on for little while without
seeing anything, until at last he came to
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 wood in
spring and now began to be thick and
dark, like wood in summer; some of
the little trees that had come out earliest
We're even turning brown. The gentle
Vee' HUI DuC ItU d 1duy OF
about the same age with him, who was
his wife; and they had children, who
were with them too. So, they all went
on together through the wood, cutting
down the trees, and making a path
through the branches and fallen leaves.
and carrying burdens, and working
hard
sometimes they came toa long green
avenue that opened into deeper woods.
Then they would hear a very little dis
tant voice crying, "Father, father, lam
anotherchild Stop for me! And pres
entity they would see a very little figure.
growing largeras it came along, running
to join them. When it came up they ali
crowded around it; and then all went
on together.
Sometimes, they came to several av-
enues at once, and then they all stood
still, and one of the children said "Fath-
er, ] am going to sea-" and another said
Father, | am going to India" and an
other said FEATHER, l am going to seek
my fortune where l cam" and another,
"tather, am going to Heaven!" So,
with many tears at parting, they went,
solitary, down those avenues, each child
upon its way; and the child who went
to heaven, rose into the golden air and
vanished.
Whenever these paintings happened,
the traveller looked at the gentleman,
and saw him glance up at the sky above
the trees, where the day was beginning |
to decline, and the sunset to come on.
lie saw, too, that his hair was turning
gray. But they never could rest long.
for they had their journey to perform,
and 1t was always necessary for them to
be busy.
At last, there had been so many part
lngs that there were no children left and
only the traveller, the gentleman anu
the lady, went upon their way in COM
pany. 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 look
ing down it, when the lady stopped.
MY husband said the lady, II am
called.''
They listened, and they heard voice,
along way down the avenue say, "Moth-
er, mother"
It was the voice Of the first child who
had said, am going to Heaven!" and
the father said, u pray not yet. Sum
get is very near. Ipray not yetw
But the voice cried. "Mother. mother!s
without minding him, though his hair
was now quite white, and tears were on
his face.
Then, the mother, who was already
drawn into the shade of thedark avenue
and moving away with her arms still
round his neck, kissed him, and said,
"My dearest, / am summoned, and
go!" And she was gone. And the trav-
eller and he were left alone together.
And they went on and on together,
until they came to very near the end OF
the wood, and saw the peaceful sun
going down upon wide purple prospect,
he came to an old man sitting on fallen
tree So, he said to the old man, "What
do you heSe?" And the old man said
with a calm smile, IL am always re-
membering. Come and remember with
me!'
SO the traveller sat down by the side
of that old man, face to face with the
serene sunset and all his friends came
softly back and stood around him. The
beautiful child, the handsome boy, the
young man in love, the father, mother,
and children every one of them was
there, and he lost nothing. So he loved
them all and was kind and forbearing
with tho,,, oil an1 vuos o1uova p1ooco6