Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-06-06

put his hand into the water and pulled out
some stones, and the poor boy helped him
They carried them to a smooth, level place
and the stranger child said, "Now wen be-
gin. You hand me the stones and I'll pile
them up" The poor boy did not wait to be
commanded second time, and the little
builder laid stone upon stone, and when he
had built up great pile he cried out, 4" Isn't
that a beautiful castle The king has moth
ing finer" And the poor boy clapped his
hands, delighted at their success
Now we must put up flag" said the
other, and he fastened a rush in the heap of
stones and both children cheered as the
little green flag huttered gaily in the wind.
Now let us lay out garden. That will
be charming" said the lovely boy; and they
leveled the ground around the little stone
heap, and broke off little twigs and planted
them. Then they picked flowers and scat
tered them here and there. 1t was really
charming.
awe must have pond also," cried the
poor boy, and the stranger smiled and said,
See, now, you are good learner did not
think of that" And they dug hole in the
ground and scooped up water in their hands
and put tin the hole, and the pond was made.
"Now we must have some swans" said
the beautiful boy, for pond is nothing
without swans" Saying this, he ran and
brought some daisies, which he picked to
pieces, and he strewed the little white petals
upon the water, aud the boys jumped for Joy
to see the swans swimming so merrily about
"And what shall we do next 2" asked the
poor boy.
"Let us build ship" answered the other
" and then we will freight it and send it out
to sea-" And he took large green leaf and
bent it skillfully together into the shape of a
boat then he put flower in the center of
it, upon which he hung spiders web that
he found upon willow bough and he said
1" See, the ship has a mast and sail, now we
will freight it. Let us load it with straw
berries, and when it comes into a port where
it is always winter we can gain great deal
| from the sale of the fruit" So the bows
picked the berries and filled their little ship
with them.
Suddenly the poor boy cried out, See
here | have caught great black ant he
shall go in the ship and we will put our
cargo into his charge for he understands
dealing in sweet things" So the ant was
put into the ship with the berries, and the
bonny boat Aoated off upon the clear waves.
"Just see how gaiy that sail futters in
the wind" cried the beautiful boy And
the poor boy exclaimed See, the ant is
standing up and is looking about him. How
proud he is And no WONDER for he is sail
ing off to see the new world"
"Let us go too" cried the other; "quick
let us ride after him."
But we have no horse" said the poor
boy, sorrowfully.
"Oh, will look out for that" cried his
companion. So he broke off two branches
from bush and cried, q" Here are the horses
Now we will gallop afterp The boys took
the sticks between their legs and away they
went on full gallop.
Suddenly the poor boy stumbled over some
old tree roots. He had been looking all the
time after the ship instead of mindng his
steps. When his comrade saw that he wa,
not injured, he called out to him merrily
So your horse has thrown you ?" THAT
he has" responded the other. He tried to
leap over the root, aud stumbled. and bounce
here | lay But then | never rode horseback
before" And again the boys galloped away
upon the banks of the streamet.
Suddenly the beautiful boy cried out
"Oh, but to fly is a thousand times betterr
and at the same moment there appeared
upon his shoulders two golden wings, and he
flew away high up to the clouds. The poor
boy called after him, Teach the also to fly
and he stretched out his arms and tried to
fly, but he could not. And there came to
him voice from the Clouds saying, Play
time is over now you have learned enough
for one day. Your mother calls you, go home
quickly that she may not be anxious about
you. Tomorrow will come again and teach
you more play" And the angel vanished in
a crimson evening cloud.
And often after that he came to the pool
boy. But at last his visits ceased. And
that came to pass when the boy had out
grown his child-shoes.
The boy became man, and the man be-
came a hoary head, and for long time he
had not thought of the angel of his youth
But one day as he sat upon the bench before
his house, and his little grandson who was
playing in the sand by his side called out to
him, "Come, grandpa, and play with me,
the old man thought of the far-off DAYS of his
childhood, and knelt down and played heart
lily with the little boy. Suddenly he heard
a clear ringing child-voice, All so you
have not forgotten the old plays; | am GLAD
of it. Do you know me 2" The old man
cast his eyes upward and recognized the
angel who had been his sweet playmate SC
long, long ago. From this time on the OLD
man, the child, and the angel played often
together, till one day the angel whispered il
the old mans ear, " Tonight you shall learn
to fly"
The next morning the bench before the
house was vacant the old grandpapa can't
no more ; but the beautiful angel played witt
the child aud helped him build castles anC
ships, and lay out beautiful gardens, and dil
ponds and the little child knew that his
grandpapa had flown up to the bright heav
ems and was there singing and playing witt
a great company of happy angels.-A duance