Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-05-20

$OuIt-
presents ? cried poor little
Dorothea. What presents can we
give Him?'
LET us try at all events cried
Urban & know-'
fSilence said the messenger,
not unkindly, but commandingly
you CAN only know what lie tells
yon through me, and such as me.
You have nothing Of your own to
give Him. But this IS what you
will do. You will climb to the
top ofthis rock----'
sOh- how can we 2 cried little
Dorothea.
Tie messenger smiled on her
kindly: Because he said when
You had the water of that pool
poured over you, it braced and
strengthened you up: before you
could not; now you can. But lis
ten. At the top OF that rock I
shall be waiting for you with one
present for the King. 1t may seem
to You worthless that is not yonr
concern; bring that down, and
keep it; and it will be what He
DESIRES
is that all 2 asked Amanda.
'All! replied the messenger:
gravely {; and then, speaking sadly,
ALL s-Ah and hard hard enough!
But if you ask the question, this
much l may tell you. In going up
that mountain you may see many
pretty crystals and brIghtly-color-
ed pebbles those the King will
accept too: will accept-will be
pleased with +; but only on this
condition, that also you bring
that which lie has appointed for
you to "ffcr-whicll / shall be ap-
pointed to give you at the top Of
the rock. But remember what l
say; whatever you find there
worthless in your eyes or not, worse
perhaps, than of no use, that is
what lie viii require from you-
Now farewell; tomorrow begin
your ascent and the day after to-
morrow 1 shall come for You
You may imagine how the chill
dren talked over with each other
the presents which they were to
bring to the King wondering what
would be given to them thinking
how difficult ard steep the rock
looked; /; and longing for the NOR
row, that they might begin their
task.
The morrow came, and they set
forth. Let us see what Dorothe;,
did, and what she received. 1t was
Il much harder, sleeper climb than
she had ever expected sometimes
the loose stones rolled away from
under her feet, and more than once
caused her to fall sometimes the
brambles tore her dress, and in
getting free from them, she wound
ed her poor little hands: and the
sun shone out tiercely, and the steep
ascent made her heart beat, and her
lungs pant but still she kept on,
seeing morning of the others, think
ing only of her own way, and that
or ite enough. Aud at last, when
several times she had thought; ''tEls
that | am now coming To must be
the top" and had then been dis
appointed by seeing higher ground
stretching away beyond-at last, |
say, she did reach the very Summit,
marked by tall stone Cross. Al
the foot of this, true to his word
sat the Kings messenger.
We'll and bravely done, my
Child he said; L have been
watching you this long time. L
was hard steep struggle: but yo'
will find that it was gloriousl,
worth while to make it. Take thi
rim Z that it is viii CHI is to be you
present when you stand before th'
King. And beware how you &
down the mountain: it It is s.el
it is also more dangerous
Dorothea received the ring.
plain gold ring, put it on her finger
and turned to depart. True. tn
path Was here and there dangerou
to those that walked heedIessly
but it was to be observed that, i
the most dangerous places, tho-
bright diamond-l'ke crystals wei
mostly strewn,ot which the me>sel
ger had spoken the day befor'
Aud remembering his words, til;
while she must bring to the Kin
the present which He Himself hs
prepare for her, she might, if sI
so would, offer Him als'' some
, these, AID that lie would acccl
them; she picked up one here, a
other there, well looking to h,
r steps all the while, So that, by Il
/ time evening had come down, a,
A she reached her home, she had
little basket full, which she hope
the good KING would not reject.
j When she entered the cottag
/ tired and wor.l out, but glad in Ii
very hea. t, she found Amanda a
i. ready arrived: and she, too, h.
her basket OF, presents, larger al