Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-06-08
FROM THE GOLDEN BOOKS.
The chlId's Alteration for the Beautiful
Woman Soul.

The chlId's Alteration for the Beautiful
Woman Soul.
[From Max Mueller's "Deutsche Liebe."l
know not when / saw her for the first
time. She emerges from the darkness
OF memory slowly and gradually; at first
like an airy shadow which grows more
and more distinct as II approaches nearer
and nearer at last standing before my
soul like the moon, which on some stormy
night throws back the cloud wells from
its face. She was always sick and suf-
fering and silent and never saw her
except reclining upon her couch, on which
two servants brought her Into the room
and carried her out again when she was
tired. There she lay In her flowing white
drapery, with ner hands generally folded.
Her face was so pale and yet so mild,
and her eyes so deep and unfathomable,
that often stood before her lost in
thought, and looked upon her and asked
myself II she were not one Of the strange
people," too. Many a time she placed
her hand upon my head, and then II
seemed to me that a thrill ran through
all my limbs, and that I could not move
or speak. but must forever gaze into her
deep. unfathomable eyes
When people attended to her they in
voluntarily spoke gently and softly. They
| called her "the angel" Often when
saw her lying so silent and helpless and
thought that she would never walk again
| in life, that there was for her neither
work nor joy, that they would carry her
here and there upon her couch until they
| laid her upon her bed of eternal rest-I
| asked myself why she had been sent into
this world, when she could have rested
| so gently in the bosoms of the angels,
and they could have borne her through
the air on their white wings Again l
felt as II must take part of her burden
so that she need not carry it alone, but
we with her. could not tell her all this,
for knew 1t was not convenable. had
an indefinable feeling. 1t was not a de-
| sire to embrace her. No one could have
done that, for it would have wronged her.
One warm spring day she was brought
into our room. She looked exceedingly
| pale, but her eyes were deeper and bright
er than ever, and she sat up on her couch
| and called us to her. 1T is my birthday"
she said, "and was confirmed this morn
ing. Now II is possible" she continued,
as she looked upon her father with a
SMILE that God may soon call me to him,
although would gladly remain with you
much longer. But II 1 am to leave you,
/ desire that you should not wholly for
get me, and therefore I have brought a
ring for each Of you, which you must
now place upon the forefnger. AS you
grow older you can continue to change
1t until It fits the little finger; but you
must wear IL for your lifetime" With
these words she took the five rings she
wore upon her fingers, which she drew off
one after another with look so sad and
| yet so affectionate, that / pressed my
eyes closely to keep from weeping She
gave the first ring to her eldest brother
and kissed him, the second and third to
the two princesses, and the fourth to the
| youngest prince, and kissed them all as
| she gave the rings. / stood near and
| looked fixedly at her white hand, saw
that she still had ring upon a finger,
but she leaned back wearied. My eyes
met hers, and as the eyes of a child speak
| loudly, she knew my thoughts. 1 would
rather not have had the last ring, for
felt that / was a stranger-that I did
not belong to her Then came a sharp
way to turn to conceal my anguish.
She soon raised herself again, placed
her hand upon my forehead and looked
down into my heart so deeply that I fell
/ had not a thought invisible to her. She
slowly drew the last ring from her finger
gave 1t 10 me, and said 81 intended tc
take this with me when /. went from
you but 1t is better you should wear II
and think of me when / am no Longer
with you. Read the words engraved upor
the ring, AS God Wills. You have
passionate heart, easily moved. May life
subdue, but not harden IT," Then sn'
kissed me as she had kissed her brothers
and gave me the ring.
loved her as only a boy can love, an,
boys love with an intensity and truth an,
| purity which few preserve In youth an,