St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-11-05


nothing in reply, though he thought ;
great deal. After while he gathered
the money together, and, giving it tt
his mother, said: "Here, mother, yoI
keep this and use it as you think best
Soon after he went to bed, and befoI,
long was asleep. He dreamed that ht
was an old man, and had made large
fortune. At length, when he was able
to count his wealth by millions of dol
lars, be gave up business, and, gather,
ing all his property together, he started
to find good place to live and enjoy it
He had all his wealth in railroad bonds
and in mortgages, and in large bank
bills, so that he could carry all on bis
back, but somehow it was fastened in
one pack in such a way that he could
not take it apart. In his dream he
seemed to leave his native home and
passed away into strange country
AS he travelled on, the country became
very beautiful, and he thought it was
just the place for him to live and enjoy
his property; but no people lived
there. There were springs and streams
and grass and flowers, trees and fruit,
birds, and tame, gentle animals in
abundance, bat no people. After walk
ing long distance he saw far ahead
the walls of city in time he reached
it, and found right before him a strange
appearing gate standing partly open.
The walls of the city were very high,
and unlike the walls of other cities of
which Tom had read, these were very
beautiful. While he looked at and ad
mired the beauty of the stones, his ear
caught the sound of music coming
through the gate and when he came in
front, he saw that the inside of the city
was far more beautiful than without.
"Ah," thought he, ''this is the place l
want That city shall be nay home.
In it am sure that I shall be happy
and can enjoy my property" So he
started to go through the gate but as he
tried to pass, he found it too narrow to
admit him with his wealth. 1t was too
narrow even to allow him to walk
through at all with his arms by his side.
The gate was in the shape of cross,
and for Tom to pass through. his arms
must hold nothing, but be stretched out
from his body, to go through the narrow
openings that formed the arms of the
cross.
"Well," said he, ''I'll try each side,
and go all around the city. 1t cannot
be that all the gates are so small. 1t
would be easy enough to go in if one
had nothing to carry; but in a city like
this, must have my property. Be-
sides, l have struggled too long and
worked too hard for all this to lose it
now and l have had no good of it yet,
for all my life has been spent getting
il now l mean to enjoy it; and this is
just the city, if l can only get in with
my property" Down the long line of
wall of one side after another, Tom
tramped YEARLY, passing gate after
gate, each too narrow to admit him and
bis load, until, at last, tired, fOOtsore
and worn out, he came to the gate
from which he had started. "There,"
said he, "fve gone entirely around the
city, and there Is not one gate large
enough to let me in with my property.
If l had only known of this city before,
and had sent my property in to be
kept for me, | would not be in such
trouble now Can't L crowd this
through some way9 I'll try" And he
did try, but the pack was too large.
While he was struggling to push it
through the narrow way, suddenly
something from the inside threw the
property over Toms head, and far
away from the gate. While he stood
wondering what this meant, strange
man stepped in front of him, and asked
sternly, "Were you trying to force that
pack yOnder into the city ?"
eyes, l did try" said Tom humbly.
"What is in it ?"
"All my property,-my bonds, my
mortgages, my stock, my money,-all."
Chow did you get it ?"
81 earned it all honestly by my hands
and my BRAIN"
Did you earn nothing more than
that 2"
Nothing but what was used for the
support of my family and myself"
"Did you work all your lifetime for
that property ~
eyes, ever since was boy fifteen
years old"
"If you are allowed to bring it into
the city what do you mean to do with
your wealth 2"
81 mean to enjoy it-take the good of
it.r
"Then you have given all your life,
your time, talents-everything for
yourself-alone 2"
eyes, l suppose So"
sis that what God made you for 2"
81 am not sure that it is"
"Not sure? Did you never read your
Bible, and learn what you were meant
for? Did you never read there that it
is easier for camel to go through the
eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter into the kingdom of God 2"
eyes, butt
"But what 2"
"That does not hinder my entering
here.n
''Do you know what place this is ~
"No. only know that it is most
beautiful city, in which wish to live.
L would like to live here always, if
might"
''This is heaven ~
"What! Heaven! Gods home
The home of his people! Then it is
the place for me. am Christian"
"Yes, this is heaven, but you cannot
enter. Those who live for Christ and
the good of others, those who trust in
Jesus enter here. You lived for your
self in the world you trusted in riches
and you must stay outside with the
wealth for which you have sacrificed
heavenn
"Oh, am lost then 2" groaned Tom.
"Have not only wasted my life to get
money, but lost my soul Lost heaven
to get rich Lost Lost 1 have
lost all !" And he groaned so loud that
he awoke.
Tom looked around him. The moon
was shining through the window on his
little bed, and he saw that he was in
his home yet-a poor boy. As soon as