Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-03
NO. 40.
showed Ss. nIs.is Girl. NC

II nave dreamed the most wonderful
dream that l ever dreamed in all my life,"
said gentle, retiring young miss, Of some
fourteen years, one morning, TO her sister.
ut is a dream which never shall forget,
SO long as shall live"
"What was your dream, darling Isl
doref" said LenoraJ the youngest sister.
"Will you not tell II to usH"
"Well, II you would like 10 hear ii, come
into The little ante-room, where no one will
interrupt Us, and sit down by my side"
Last night could not go 10 sleep at
once. As was lying on my bed, q great
many thoughts came 10 me. Among 9TH
ers, thought, where can the purest and
strongest love be found upon earlhr While
was musing on this question fell asleep.
In my dream saw an angel. He took me
kindly by the hand, and led me forth.
"'Come with me- said he, and will
show you what you SEEK
"We set out. Pretty soon we came 10 a
lowly little church. On its roof were two
snow-white doves. They cooed back aud
forth, and billed and fondled each other iu
the warm sunshine.
"The angel stood still aud pointed 10 the
caressing creatures, and l thought: This
must be the purest and strongest love on
EARTH
''The angel was silent and led me far
ther.
"Soon we saw on fiowery lawn BROTH
er and sister. 1t was lovely boy and his
loving mate. They called each other, MY
dear brotherr MY dear slsterp A long
time they played together, plucking the
flowers and weaving them into garlands.
And then saw them embrace and kiss
each other.
"The angel stood still the second time,
and pointing 10 the loving group, smiled
upon them. l was about TO say This
must be the purest and strongest love on
earth : but the angel was silent, and led
me still farther.
"After we had gone a short distance, we
came 10 little, but neat cottage. On the
!eft of the door, close to the hall, an old,
wide-spreadng linden cast its shadows:up-
on the green sward. Beneath The tree sat a
man and his wife. Near by them played
their fresh, sprightly children, with bat
and ball. The fathers right hand lay in
that Of the mother, and his LEFT hand rested
on her shoulder. They chatted together
about their children and about their happi-
ness. They looked love and truth into
each others eyes; they fondly pressed
each others hands; and once the father
kissed the brow OF the gentle mother.
"'oh,' thought I, nowhere can there be
found love purer or stronger than that be-
tween father and mother
1.-THE angel let me look 4 long tune at
fafi fnl flafr h,,kl ! geil
At last lie took me again by the hand and
led me farther.
at was not long before we reached a
magnificent palace. II was already late at
night, and the clock had struck twelve.
The stiffness Of death reigned everywhere.
Mute and noiseless climbed the silver
fiocks of heaven after their shepherd, the
silent moon. Nowhere sound, nowhere
trace Of man. All lay deeply locked in
the arms of slumber.
''In the palace before which we take our
stand we see a solitary, laintly-lighted win
dow. A feeble light fiickers within, scarce
ly visible through the heavy damask cur
tains.
''Ne enter. The angel leads me into q
high. spacious, splendid chamber. Here
and filled with u silken-covered bed OF
down. In the cradle lies little child; it
had plump cheeks, but now they seem as
white as snow. The child sleeps, but its
sleep is disturbed. 1t is sick.
"Close beside it, on a soft easy chair, sits
the childs mother. She is young woman
but very pale. Her cheeks are sunken.
She wears long, rich night-robe. Behind
her, on an elegant dressing table, burns
a night-lamp. Close beside II is the vial of
medicine, with the directions attached.
"In her hand the pale mother holds q
Bible, now reading, and nov turning aside
She prays for the sick child. Then she
gently rocks the cradle.
"This young mother said the angel, as
princess, and very rich. She has at her
service a nurse, child's maid, waiting
maid, and other female attendants. But
they are all asleep. They can sleep; she can
not sleep. To none OF them all can she To-
trust her sick child; still will she watch
by him still must she watch by him.
Her heart draws her to him.
"'This is already the seventh night that
she has sat here. No sleep has come to her
eyes. Her lids press down heavily, but
she struggles to keep them open. No sim
gle glance of the child will she lose, no
breathing OF her sick one will be unnoticed;
his every motion she carefully Observes
"Thus spoke the angel and then was ST.
leRt, and let me look at this faithful moth
er. Then he laid his hand on my shoul-
der, and said to me. here our pilgrimage =
comes 10 an end. Thou hast found the OBJ
ject OF thy search. The purest and strong .
est love on earth, is tho love OF a motherr
when the angel had spoken these words
he stepped two or three steps forward tow
ard the cradle, spread his hands and bless
cd the child. Then stepping back, he dis
appeared, and I-awoke."-From The Ger
mon.