Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-05-29


OF anything else but to cat and to drink!
Not you, dears, o no!
1t couldn't be so:
This moral to some other country must 20,
For all of our children are splendid, you
knuwl
Our Young Folks.
The Sleep Angel.
BY MARTHA NICHOLS.
30 mamma! this 10 just the time for
story" said Charlie Lindsay, following hi,
mother to the piazza one lovely evening in
Juno; "please sit down in this comforts
tile chair, and tell the incest story you
know"
40 yes, do, mammal said May Lindsay,
q bright girl eleven years old; and " Yes,
please do, mamma" was echoed bv little
Ef6e, tho pet and darling of the house.
hold; and, springing into her mothers
arms, she clasped her little hands round
her neck, and showered hcr with kisses.
"Wby, Efie DEAR" said Mira, Lindsay,
ii is almost bedtime. I am afraid you
could not keep awake to hear story.5
Yes, I can, mamma" And Efie OPEN
ed her bright blue eyes to their fullest ex-
tent, and, folded her hands demurely in
front Of her, SAT up gerry straight on her
Mrs. Lindsay smiled, and k,s.iug Elite,
said, Well, children, shall tell you q
new story TO- mi ght, about a sweet little
friend Of yours, whom you all know, and
love very dearly too, sometimes, though
often you treat her harshly push her away,
and pretend you do not know her at ali.
This is tie little Sleep Angel, who every
night, when the sun goes to rest behind the
clouds, leaves her homo in the sky and
and come down to the earth to give rest
to oil the poor tired people in the world.
The birds high up in tho air first see her,
as she starts out, and they gather around
her, flying in front of her, behind her, and
at the side Of her, singing their sweet.
est songs, telling her all that has made
them sad or happy through the day, urd
whispering their secrets in her ear. Down
they fly together, as merry ind happy as
the day is long, feeling that they never
shall be tired with such dear little friend
so near them: But the birds are mistaken,
for some Of their songs grow more quiet,
their wings feel heavy, and when they
reach the tree.tops . they fly to their
nests, aud, closing their eyes, the Sleep
Angel drops kiss on their little heads,
and leaves them in charge Of the wird,
who rocks them to and fro all night long.
When the birds are safely slowed away
in their nests, the angel flies down into the
great dark forest, where the lions and
tigers are roaring and bowling, rushing
wildly around and frightening every one
who comes within sound of their voices.
The tiny little angel stops and listens to all
this uproar, but she is not frightened by
il, for she loves the wild beast rs much
as the birds swinging high above her head
60 she is not afraid to sit on the hons
shoulders, to smooth his shaggy name
with her svft white hand, fan HIM with her
wings, and whisper pretty words in his ear,
chat all day long hears nothing gentle,
till gradually the rougEness dies ont OF
his voice, the restlessness disappears from
his limbs, he stretches himself out on the
soft ground and is far away in the land oil
dreams.
Ovor all the earth the Sleep Angel nies.
One evening she reached great city jus,
as tho sun had set. The streets were filled
with people hurrying home, all anxious to
reach their little boys and girls before
sleep should shut their eyes. There were
fathers with very mysterious looking pack
ages under their arms, and from the kine
look on their faces, one might guess there
was doll or toy for some little bod,
looking eargerly for papa. Mothers had
dainty.looking baskets in their hands, will
delicious fruit peeping from under III,
covers, and the smiles on their faces tolt
how they were thinking of tbs merr,
greeting the children " Ould give them
and how their eyes would sparkle over tn,
ripe strawberries aud cherries.
The angel saw all these people, but Oh,
stood aside from them, and let them z,
their way. Presently q pale, tired .lookin,
woman passed her very quickly; her fact
was sad, and her step was nervous ant
hurried. Under her arm she had larg,
bundle, while in her hand she carried yer,
c&refullya small basket of fruit and !
bouquet IF flowers. The little angel knew
at cnce that this poor woman needed her
30 following her silently, on through tn,
crowded streets, passed the sto, O. where
the lights were beginning to sparkle ant
glisten, through narrow streets and broat
| osAS~s3s ~AAsS AssA away 1OM IIlo uN0U6O0l(
hooses~nd brilliant shops, in narrow al
ley, tho woman stopped before hous,
that looked US clean and bright Us anythin,
could look IN such dull, dark place.
The woman run up the stairs with til,
same rapid step that had taken her through
the streets, ard, opening q door, sale
cheerily, Well. Jacky dear, have beer
gone very long ?" And she went Close
to the bed, where little 10y was lying
very pale and thin, while bis great darI
eyes had restless lock in them, as if j,
were seeking something he could not find
"See what I have brought you, darling,'
said his mother, opening the basket filled
with srawberries. Jacky SMILED, and
putting his little white hand on his moth.
er's face, stroked it gently as she sat be.
side him. Mrs. Graham says you must
60 to see her, Jacky, when you get vel:
she wants you to play in her garden, and
such garden as It is, Jacky! 1t is like
fairy land. Here is a bunch of flowers
from it; l will put them in your china
vase at your side,and you can SEQ then, all
the time"
The mother turned to get some water
tor the flowers, and coming back, she eaid.
slave you been asleep yet, Jacky?"
"No, mamma, not yet; but l am very,
very tired, and my bones do ache 50, l wish
l could sleep; l think some one is holding
my eyes open, mamma, for l cannot close
them, though do try"
"Poor little fellow! !" said tho mother to
herself, going tc the window to brush
away tear; "ho hns hardly slept tho
past two days, and know he cannot gct
we'll unless no rests; wish / could make
him Sleep"
"Sing him tho good night song you used
to sing"
The mother started; the Sleep Angel
had whispered tho words, and they came
to tho poor woman like u new idea. So
she prepared some strawberries for Jacky,
i IL u !.