Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-01-10
Chr family CirtIe.
Watching for the Angels.
RY MARY c. BARTLETT.

would he sick or tired any more that the
angles had taken him to heaven.
What do you cry for, mamma? asked
Ruthe. When will they bring
him back?
Mamma wiped her eyes, and tried to
speak cheerfully.
We must try to he good, little daughter,
so that we shall I'LL be ready when they
come for us.
If the angels came for you I'll 60 too,
said Ruthie decisively.
Mamma smiled sadly.
would, repeated Ruthe, with II shake
of her golden curls. Then she jumped
down from her mothers lap, and ran up
stairs to the nursery, but the unwonted
stiffness Of the room oppressed her. |
didn't want him to be took. she sobbed l
wish they'd bring him brck!
But the angels didn't bring him back !;
and when, soon after, mamma was taken
i'll, poor Ruthie wandered listlessly about
the house, her little heart heavy with IL
nameless dread. Papa wantel to send her
away again. Poor papa! How sorry he
looked. Ruthie loved him very much {;
she WAS sure of that; but, us she used
sometimes to say to Willie, she didn't
know him rs she did mamma. So when
he tried to persuade her to 90 home with
kind Aunt Eliza, she said not word in
renlv. hnt ran TO her own LITTLE cham
Der, crying bitterly.
The nuGtIs had NOT hrouoht Willie hack.
She didn't hp1ipvp thpv ever hrouoht onv.
bodv. If they came for mamma. she
wonId 90 with them, She had. resolved
mon that.
Every dav She went to zee dear mamma.
Every day She came out from the cham
Der Of sickness sober vet content. The
ANGELS had not come vet.
One night Rutbie had strange dream,
She dreamed that papa came and took her
from her warm bed, and carried her in hi,
arms to mammals room: that Il pair oil
Ni,hful ewes qazed tenderIy into hers that
renlle Iins touched her forehead yery soft.
", and that she was held for u moment
clo.e. close to Il loving heart.
When she invoke the next morning hcl
dream came back TO her. She ran softly
through the hall, her small bare feet max
ing no noise, and reached the door of the
room unseen. Size opened it carefully. AT
first She could see no one and she shiyereC
more from II vague. underlined dread than
from the chill morning air which came in
through the open window. As she stooa
trembling. papa c,me in and started will
sui prise to SIC her there.
Where's mammal? asked plaintive lit
tie voice.
Papa didn't say word. Very gently
he lifted IL snowy covering, and Ru HE
saw her mother lying white and still
fast asleep.
lts-too cold-papa, said she winkine
v,ry hard, TO keep hack the tours.
But papa only sighed; and then. glanc
inc down at the lILlle feet, bade her q
and let Maruip dress her ut once.
The next few DAYS seemed to the chill,
strange and unreal, like her dream. Aunl
Eliza and Uncle Ben were there, and 81
many people coming and gong all til,
time, Some of them cried us thry locke,
at dear mamma, Some took Ruthie ir
their arms and kissed her, calling hrl
Door, dear lite Girl; then there were oth
rrs who did not cry, and who took no no
tce of her. 1t was very strange.
Aunt Eliza wondered ut the M, steriou
attraction which drew her wee niece 81
many. many times to the chamber of death
Ali! She could not read the thought of lha
baby heart She | tile dreamed for wha
the child was watching.
They didn't come vet The angel
didn't come vet. This was the burden 0
Door Ruthless little song. and >hr hoped cl
and waited patiently, But there came
dav when many people gathered, all IL
once. in the sitting room. up stairs. Ruth
ic was very Quiet that day-everybody wa
ouipt-mamma was ouirtpst OF ali, sh
didn't even look at the beautiful flower
which loving hands had placed around her
All the strIuoeness of it all; but-th,
anoels didn't come vet.
After the minister had preached,
there was long. long ride, during which
papa never spoke; then the getting out Il
the pretty cemetery. Ruthie knew tn
place quite well r. She had been there S,
many times. But to see mamma lying Their
in that strange looking box, with tin
flowers around her; to see the box close
SO TIGHTLY that the angels couldn't find he
when thew came to see it lowered into tn
Ground and 10 hear the earth fall heavil,
npon it-what did it meano
Ruthie couldn't speak ut first, She wa
crvinr so: then she rrasped the hand tina
WINS neorrst her. it bappencd to be Uncl
Ben's, Looking down through his tear
he WIS startled at the expression of tn
rhiIli,h face.
Where ,rr---tbe--anpels9 sohbed Ruth
10
The what he asked. astonished.
Thr nnorls was GOING
JTn.ln Zen took her in his arms AM
hold her there. He wanted to comlor
hor hut hn hardly knew how.
VI, c,nnot understand it. child. ltl
only with The eve of faith that we can SCI
the ,ngels
Rnt7ip rnbbnd her moor little swollel
eyas Alas thcv were not ewes of faith
NV oonlI not 500 tho ANGELS
Wbon nam, como nm stairs that eyenip,
for his o6nj.niobt kiss. he found his liltl'
Iannn,Gr o,zino thouchtf, llv Mt mamma
nin91ro which Gnng mon the wall nea
Po n' h,d. iln
' Ami ,Tiza savs she'll 90 to heaven
|lnw n,n Gnd 6nd her nnnnp
III Fla hns bnr now NV Garlino
In in hn,vpnp
Yp W. and II. tried to exn,,in sometime
If tho GREAT mystery to his wonderin,
chnd who if she didn't understand WA
cmmnyhnt comGMted
Rnt ON nlmn She cried NJ lenoth.
va;tnI on lnmG 7 w,n5pd to on,
W. WY w. i77,ro p,,, ,Y,S ,9nr,,lovo1