The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
CHILD AND THE sNOwFLAKEs.
And the Days Went On and tho Night
Game.
IFrom the Detroit Free Press.l


One day rs she stood at the window,
watching the busy street and wondering
why she alone of all children was Grip
pied and thin and weak. a snowflake
came sailing down through the Dcccm-
and then crept in at n broken pane and
rested on her wasted hand. The child
smiled and was glad, and said:
Ibid you pity me that you came to
see me2"
III have only pity for the poor and
helpless, " replied the snowflake.
"Where arc your companionsT"
"They will be here. l had q race
with them INC l reached earth first.
"1t was SO good Of you to come in
you know that l nm lame and i'll, and
and the happiness seems for others all
the suffering and the shadows for me.
l wish ! had been a snowflake. 1t must
be so jolly to go rowing about as"
The snowflake had disappeared, and
in its place was a tiny drop of water.
The child was gricvcd, and she wcpt
that hel poor ray of sunshine had been
dimmcd almost as it reached her. But
other flakes came and danced before
the window and made merry and called
to her
"Come and be merry with us! A
child should no weep and gricvc."
But ! have no friends" she an
swercd.
"Thcn the snowflakes will be your
friends. Almost every day we will come
to talk to you"
''Do you know of Hcaven?' whispered
the child as she dried her tears.
cit is a long, long way off," was the
reply.
would they let a crippled girl like
me in therc2'
GAS surely rs you reach the gates of
pearl. Heaven is for such as you"
"Whcn may [ go? Earth has only
misery for me-"
"When the time is come we will
whisper at your window. The night is
coming on and we must go. BE of
good cheer, for we will surely come
again"
And the days went on and on, and the
nights came and went, and the child
grievcd and wept because the %snowfakcs
did not come to tell her. Millions Of
them f1oatcd in the air. and the wind
drove them in millions up and down the
streets, but never a one came to the
broken pane. One day. when the child's
great blue eyes had scarcely been free
of tears-when her heart achcd ms never
beforc-whcn there was n fierce struggle
to cast off the emaciatcd, deformcd body
as one might throw away a garment
on this day as the bleak winter after
noon was fading to dusk, there was a
tapping at the window-pane. The child
heard the sounds with beating heart, and
as she dragged herself to the window
she cried out in eXultation:
"Oh ! it is the snowf1akcs come
again! You are here to tell me of
Heaven"
eyes, they whispered.
"And God will take mc?"
"Hc has sent for you"
"Wait-wait! I will go with you!'
But the snowilakes whispered :''Child,
you must sleep first. Heaven is a long
way off. We will awaken YOU when it
is time"
The child lay down on her bed of
rags and slept. At midnight the snow
fakes crept in and rested on her hair
on her ragged gown-on hcrthin hands,
and some of the boldest touched her
face.
Come! 1t is time" they whispered
She did not move.
"Child! VIC are here to guide you on
your path 10 Heaven" they called.
There was no answer. but a bright
star suddenly threw his light in Mt the
window and over the bed of rags. and
the snowtakes gathered together and
whispered:
"She is dead! While we fingered in
sport with the winds an angel has come
and borne her away"