St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-09-29
Watching for the Angels.
by MARY @. BARTLETT.


where he never would he sick or tired
any more-that the angels had taken
him to heaven.
NV hat do yon cry for, mamma ?"
asked wondering Ruthie. when will
they bring him back ?"
Mamma wiped her eyes, and tried to
sneak cheerfully.
we must Try to be good, little
daughter. so that we shall he all ready
when they come for u.s."
''if the angels came for you I'd 90
too, said Ruthie decisivcly.
Mamma smiled sadly.
II would" repeated Ruthie, with a
shake of her golden curls. Then she
jumped down from her mothers Ian.
and ran up stairs to the nursery. but
the unwonted stiffness of the room on
pressed her. Il didn't want him to be-
took" she sobbed. Il wish they'd
bring HIM back ~
But the angels didn't bring him back
and when. soon after. mamma was taken
i'll. poor Rnthic wandered liStlcsslv
about the house, her little heart heavy
with il namelcss dread. Papa wanted
To send hcl away again. Poor papa
How sorry he looked. Ruthic loved
him very much she was sure of that
but, us she used sometimes to say to
Willie. she didn't know him aS she did
mammal. SO, when he tried to per
Suade her To z" home with kind Aunt
Eliza. she sad not Il word in reply. hut
ran of I" her own little chamber, CIV
ng bitterly.
The angels had not brought Willie
back. She didn't believe they ever
brought anybody back. If they came
iol mamma. she would 90 with them.
She had resolved upon that
Every day she went to see "dcar
mamma" Every day she came ont
from the chamber of sickness sober Vet
content The angels had not come vet.
One night Rnthie had Il strange
dream. She dreamed that papa came
and took her from her warm bed. and
carried her in his arms to mammals
room that a pair of wi>ttul eyes g:ized
t"ndcrIN int" hers: that gentle lips
touched her forehead very softly. and
that she WIS held for a moment close.
close To Il loving heart
W hen she awokr the next morning
her dream came back To her She ran
softly through the hall. her small bare
feet making no noise. aud reached the
door of the room unseen. She opened
II carefully. At first she could see no
one and she Shivcred. moIc from a
vague. underlined dread than from the
.'h!il morning air which came in through
the open window. As she stood trem-
bling. papa entered. and started with
surprise tn see her there.
"Whrrc'> mamma ?" asked a plaintivc
little voice
Papa didn't say Il word. Very gently
he lifted Il snowy covering. and Ruthic
>aw her mother ll ing white and still
fast asleep"
Its to" cold papa" said she
wlnking very hard, to keep back the
tears"
But papa only sighed; and then.
glancing down at the little feet. babe
h"I Z" and let Maggie dress her at
once.
The next few DAYS seemed to the
child strange and unreal. like her dream.
Aunt Eliza and nclr Ben were. there.
and ;" many people coming and gong
all the time. Some of them cried a>
they looked ut dear mamma Some
took Ruthlc in their arms and kissed
her. calling her poor, dear little gill ::
then there were others VII" did not cry.
and who took no notice of her Ii WAS
very strange.
Aunt Eliza wondered at the myStcri-
"nS attraction which drew hcI wee niece
80 many, many times Ia the rhamb"r of
death. All she could not read the
thought of that baby heart She little
dreamed for what the child WAS watch
ing.
"Thcy didn't come Vet. The angels
didn' come yet. This was the burden
of poor Rnthie'S little song. and she
hoped on and waited patiently. But
there cam" Il day when many people
gathered, all at once i'll the sitting room.
up stars. Ruthic WAS very quiet that
day every body WAS quiet mamma
WAS quieteSt of all. she didn't even look
at the beautiful flowers which loving
hands had placed around her ALI. the
>tran%eness of it all hut-.the angels
didn't come yet"
After the minister had .preachcd"
there waS long. long ride. during
which papa never spoke then the get
ting out at the pretty cemetery. Ruthic
knew the place quite well-she had
been there so many times. But to see
mamma lying there in that strange
looking box. with the flowers about
her; to see the box closed 50 tightly
that the angels couldn't find her when
they came to see il Iowrred into thn
rrounJ and tn ho,r "Mn,T' r,L en- ini" I ,iie
lv upon what did if nn.no
Ruthie couldn't sne,L nt trs, sLo
was CRYING 81. tbrn shn n,,snai ,I,
hand thai w,s n.,r.S, hn, LI',1 Wy
to he UncIe Rnn,s n,i,;" ~" "Pirne''
through his fears he w,s st,rtInI -, ,I'