The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-28
HOW THE SNOW CAME,

"It is 80 coldp sighed the maple, as it
held its bare branches toward the sky,
and felt the frost at it's feet among the
dead leaves. where now and then little
flower still held up pale, sad face. or
hung it's head as if longing to sleep.
The maple saw many of it's companions
shivering too; but the evergreens that
seemed so somber in the glad, gay sum-
mer, now stood warm and contented
among those trees that had so lately seen
their gorgeous red and yellow leaves
futter to the ground only to turn dry and
brown, and be hustled about by the way
ward wind.
Down in the hollows and on the rocks
little green ferns stood bravely up, and
MOSES and gray lichens lifted their tiny
branches. Choosing such quiet places,
they did not feel the rough blasts as did
the tall trees and the flowers Of the field.
But the frost will come at last to them,"
said the maple.
In the warm, happy summer, the ma
pie thought the blue sky with the glori-
GUS sun journeying over it was very near;
but now it seemed far, far away, and
often it was lost behind the gloomy
clouds. Now and then pale sunlight
stealing through the heavy curtains
crept sadly little way over the brown
fields, only to vanish again as the ghost
of summer sunshine.
Everywhere it is 30 dreary, and there
is nothing to hear but the moaning of the
wind and the brooks sad refrain. Crickets
and grasshoppers have chirped themselves
to sleep, and the birds that used 10 sing
SO sweetly have all flown away" Some
times, indeed, the feeble twitter of a bird
that had resolved to brave wind ano frost
was heard, or the dismal croak OF crow
as he tapped his black wings over de-
serted woods and client fields; but they
only made the loneliness more lonely.
"Oh! will the warm sunshine never
come again? Shall we all die in the grasp
of the cruel frost andpiercins wind? Seel
the clouds have turr ed to mourners, and
with flying hair and garments are scat
tering their bitter tears over the earth.
How the wind means and shrieks in de-
spairp'
Swaying wildly back and forth, the
maple gave up all hope, while the empty
nests that hung to its branches rocked
drearily; but the evergreens watched and
waited.
Help is coming now. Little messen-
gers of peace, like down from an angels
wing, came huttering to earth; the clouds
are no longer mourhers but angels of
mercy that have joined hand to relieve
the sufferers; and the wind sobs no more
only signing gently, while its cool breath
is no longer singing.
Thicker and faster come the light, airy
things, hiding, the sky filled to overflow
ing with the white stars. Silently, swift
ly, hour after hour they come, while not
a twig or stem moves for fear Of stopping
the blessed work, and the brook tries to
hush it's murmuring.
They do not stop until tired flowers,
and withered leaves, desolata fields and
lonely woods, are all covered with
soft, warm blanket which the clouds
have woven, helped by wind and frost;
even the evergree ems have an extra cloak
of white fur. The maple feels the earth
warm, and as each branch and twig is
covered with loneliness its heart is glad
for with the evergreens its sees that
goodness is over all, and all is we'll.
The falling snow ceases, the clouds
vanish, and the blue sky appears. The
sun smiles as he sinks behind the hill
leaving rosy glow over earth and sky;
then the stars light their little tapers,
and the moon glides peacefully on her
way. And now the earth sleeps as sound
ly and sweetly as tired Child.
May the good God, who loves and
cares for all his creatures, give us CRATE
full, loving hearts, that we may sympa-
thize with suffering, as the clouds wept
over the earth; and then, like them, scat
ter smiles and kind deeds that shall fall
on the sore and weary heart as silently
and as peacefully as the snow fell upon
the waiting earthl Thus shall we be
angels of mercy.-Sarah e. Todd, in
Sunday. school Times