The Democratic advocate., 1893-04-01

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and rested his hands on the sunshiny curls
that nestled against his breast.
The week had not been full of incident,
nothing startling had happened that Earl
could recall. That was, nothing but what
had taken place at the Collins cottage
Mint had graciously allowed him to sit in
her red rocker for five minutes by the
clock, Tilda had shown him two puzzles
on the slate, Jed had permitted him to
WELD the whitewash brush once on the
end of the house, and Mrs. Collins had
fashioned him fat gingerbread boy that
had two dried currants for eyes, which he
saved for the last bite.
Though there had never been positive
command against the visits to the cottage,
yet the child instinclively felt that his
father did not approve, and once he heard
him say swear word to Ben's father,
which so terrified him that he hid himself
twenty minutes in the back closet in his
mothers ROOM So he sat silent moment
after his father asked for the weeks do
ings.
''I'll tell you story, papa, and the
head was lifted from its resting place.
''AlI right, my boy, let's have the story
first"
Then they boy told of the resurrection
morn, all in his own sweet words, and of the
blessed Lord who rose that day, and of the
two angels who talked SO comfortingly to
the poor women who went to roll the great
stone away from the grave and found no.
body there, and of how they cried and
cried till they found him again.
"And l think, Papa" said the boy on
the Majors knee, "that the angels that
come down and sing for US Easter morning
look just like those other angels, don't
you?"
Major Winslow had never expended
much thought on the possible resemblance
and his knowledge of heavenly beings, as
class, was exceedingly limited. He was
well yersed in all that pertained to legal
lore, with its mysterious windings and
complications, but the capacity of nut
shell, and a small one at that, would have
far exceeded the requirements for slowing
away the Majors angel lore. But for all
that, was the man to show such ignorance
before this laddie, dearer to him than all
the angels? Hardly.
"Yes,r he answered not looking at the
boy just then, but out through the lace
draped window, and something like a
scowl rested on his handsome face as his
eyes fell on the COMPOUNDED shanty" of
Adam Collins.
Il think so, too, Papa" continued the
child, looking up in the face above his,
''but some boys-one boy [ know, named
Ben-he doesn's think so. He thinks
their wings would take up too much
ROOM"
@Your Ben is a wise young man" said
the father.
"Yes," rather doubtfully from Earl,
''but, don't you see, they could fold their
wings while they were singing? That's
the way I'd do, wouldn't you? ?"
Il hope my boy will not have any
wings to fold very soou, said the Major,
earnestly, as Earl ran off to answer his
mothers call "There would be little left
for me to live for if he were taken away"
Poor Major, and poor little boy? How
little we know of the future Before the
Easter morn had dawned the Winslow
house was shrouded in gloom The vel
vet carpets gave back no sound of the
light footsteps that passed over them. The
halls and corridors echoed only whispers
in their darkened passage ways. Mike,
the gardener, brought no perfumed, gor
geous blossoms to the drawing-room; no
/
one cared for them now, nor for the poor
lily in the corner of the greenhouse which
would have Jared sadly had it waited for
the little master to come and give it drink,
The great, strong Major and his wife were
silent and well nigh heart-hroken. And
why?
All surely you must have known.
The laddie lay low of a fever. He was so
near the heavenly gates that they almost
seemed opening to let him I'M just ready to
change the earthly robe for one of spotless
white and to receive glad welcome from
the dear Lord who loved the children; so
near that the brain of the strong man who
had listened to his boys sweet story of the
resurrection few short days before, was
almost crazed with grief.
Easter morning rose resplendent All
without was joy and gladness. The earl
lest flowers lifted their heads to the sun.
Lark, redbreast. thrush, and wren had
learned new songs Of thanksgiving and sang
as if their hearts we're overaowing and
their little throats would burst with joy.
All they never could have known that
Earl had been for long weeks lowering be-
tween two worlds. No, they never could
have sung 50 blithely had they but known.
Hulda, the maid, thought it wicked to
shut out all the sunlight that morning, and
50 the front door swung back on its heavy
hinges and let beams stray in at their own
sweet viii while she was about her work.
GA bit of brightness Il do nobody harm"
she said, as she opened the door, intending
to close it in little while.