River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-08-09
ANGEL.
Tho Peculiar Sorry of q Boys
Unique Pet

Unique Pet
'.D-a-v-y. oh. D-a-v-y. co me home:
mamma wants You"
The mothers call rang out clear and
good-naturedly shrill over the long
garden where the eonvOlvulus bells
were closing, and the nasturtiums
nodded their yellow heads. and reached
the ears OF little boy who was play
ing .'alI by his lonesome in the oil
fashioned summer-house at the foot of
the garden
.sTummin', mamma came back the
quick answer. and Mrs Pond. Davy's
mother. went back To her pleasant
sitting-rOom and the company of a
neighbor who had called
Hes a strange child, Davy is" said
the mother.
This was no gossip she wa talking
20. and IL was a relief 20 speak of
DAVIS pecu.iarities TO on. who would
listen To her and aid her by advice OF
sympathy The child's father looked
upon his fears as the expression of
rank heresy. His Davy-his little man.
There never was such boy in the
wOrld-none as bright and companion
able. At the same time the father
knew that his boy was not quite like
other children, or why would he prefer
20 play alone rather than with the lit
tie ones of the neighbOrhOOd-
Yes" Mrs. Pond was saying, "he
talks to himself nearly all the time.
] can hear him in the arbor, aud |
have stolen down there often. but he
nrw-R nj MI inn 90
leaves, or talking IL a low voice. And
he has Authorizations l know il, be
cause he talks in his dreams of a play
fellow he calls Angel
Perhaps" suggested the neighbOr,
cautiously. he really does see the an
gels read in book once a story of
an old lady who had died hut couldn't
rest in her grave because she had hid
den her will. and her neice. TO whom
her money was left. could not find it.
SO she came back To earth To try and
show her whore the will was The
girl could not see her. but walked
through and through her. but the dog
could see hcr. and the child in the
cradle. and IL reached out ITS hands %
her"
That" said Devy's mother, lis only
a book story. couldn't believe it If
tried"
u believe that there are Influences
we do not know how To receive. said
the other woman: some are born of
flame. some of flesh and some of the
spirit Perhaps Davy is under con-
troll. he may have visions"
At that moment the little fellow
came running IN lie was a pretty
boy, but not healthy looking. His
soft. curling hair lay in rings ON pale,
high forehead 4 blue marx. said Ia
predict early death. Jay between his
delicate brOvs The same blue APP
pearance settled about his mouth lie
painted with the excrt'On Of running.
Mrs. Pond looked meaniugIy at her
friend and bega n To question the child
in the lingo of mothers
Where ha IS Davy been2"
"Playin wifi Angel"
why doesn't .lavy bring Angel
homer"
Angel won't come"
where does Angel go when Davy
comes in tie house,
''Davy doesn't know"
The child spoke with sad regret,
even ns the little boy in the story of
the Fled Piper, who all his life la
meaied that because he was lame he
dH not get 10 the cave in time To he
swallowed up with the other children,
but only caught one glimpse of the
wonderful country into which they
were gone
Another year has passed over Davy's
yellow head. He is in a new country.
but he knows little of it From
the garden of Iowa To the garden of
Michigan is not a great change to
child who is 50 i'll he must be carried
on pillow all the way. lie had fallen
sick and faded from the day, almost
from the hour, when the family left
their old home. aud he was torn. sob
bling and unhappy, from the old arbo-
and his dear angel.
His mother had been very patient
with him and the kind neighbOr who
came to see him off tod him that angels
went everywhere; they were not sub
ject To rules like other people. and did
not need tO be conveyed by steam cars
or boats from one point to another
But DRvy was not cOmfOrted.
1t was strange then and il seemed
stranger afterward. when they
thought about il, although none of
them suspected the truth. Davy's
father took il for granted that the boy
was play ing thai he had an angel WISH
tor. just as children play house" or
company TO amuSe themselves.
Once he had stolen ON Davy unawares.
sal
the big. healthy man would have
laughed at such a delusiOn-b bat to
make the boy scream with the happy
surprise of seeing him. And he had
heard strange, low singing. some
thing like the singing of bird. but of
no bird he had ever listened to. and il
surprised him greatly. When he
bounced ON Davy from the door of the
arbor the boy was alone. but there was
strange rustliug OF the leaves and
bushes. a. il from some invisible pres
ence
Were YOU singing. Davy?-
''No. papa"
who then. my boy?'
Angel" and the child hung his
head.
Then Mr.. Pond did what he was
sorry for long after. lie shook the
child angrily. aud insisted upon a de-
scription of the angel who was sup
planting father and mother in the
heart of the boy. But Davy would
only sob and say, as he had often done
before. that his angel was '-bOofl, an
Davy loves him"
II was circus day in the new town
10 which Davy's folks had moved. and
Mr.. Pond tried 70 interest the child in
the street parade. but his SICK senses
were wholly inadequate To the task.
The disappointed man bore the little
white-robed form back from the low
window opening ON the lawn. and laid
him on the pillow with "a sinking
heart He knew now. what neither
doctor nor parson could have made him
believe, that the hours Of his boys life
were numbered. II the praucing
horses, the gay bands OF music, the
wonderful animals could not charm
away his sickness, then nothing could
help him, and the father cursed. in the
feeble fashion Of impotent humanity.