The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-12-23

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CHAPTER V.
Time passed so rapidly that did not realize
that another Christmas was near until | heard
Angela talking about it, and wondering what she
would find upon the tree. hoping that
she would not find another doll, and when she
took me in to see the tree, looked eagerly
around and was Very much relieved to find that
not one had been sent her
=, But she was very fond of music and that
CHRISTMAS brought her my only rival, a dear little
violin sent to her all the way from Paris-bv
Herman. All. YOU should have heard what beauti-
ful music she brought from it, She would go
Off by herself and play for hours. think really
more than was good for her"
Perhaps she stayed indoors too much
Thought so for OF course did not see quite
so much of her; Yet We're still very happy
together-more 50 than anyone suspected They
thought she had outgrown dolls. but she had not
outsrown me She did not take me out so much
but she let me sleep with her STILL and she told
me all of her secrets.
The spring came and Went. and the long hot
summer passed; the fall was gone. and Christmas
time was near again. when one day Angela came
home from school, Sick. she said She hardly
knew what was the matter when her mother
questioned her, but she crod, and knew then
we all knew-that something wrong-for no
one ever before saw Angela in tears
The doctor, grave old man, came and said
there was not much the matter. and everybody
felt happier But one, two. three weeks passed
and she grew no better She had a low fever
they said, that must run its course
often she would call for me- and when they
would put me in the bed beside her she would
take me in her arms and whisper to me about
the angels and the great white throne and the
Lamb
You don't know about these things. Christine
she would say. because YOU never Went with
me TO Sunday school, but it is all true ana
Christine, | am going to tell yoa secret | am
aoiag to &e amer Now don't tell ANYBODY
but most of all, don't tell Mama because she won't
want me to be angel
Nv b.l,tt .,nba hon, cl,r,
that it true. We We're going to lose Angela
and nobody knew it but me- and l could do
nothin,, to prevent Is
"sAfter while she TALKED out loud to me about
the angels. and it frightened everybody They
sent for another doctor, and both of the doctors
talked together. and they shook their heads They
did not mind what they said about it before me
They had found out our secret-Angela was going
to be an angel. They could do nothing to pre-
vent it.
Il do not know that it was right for me to
wish to Keep her 1t may have been Very selfish
for when she talked to me about it her face would
light up with great JOY. She said she was going
straight to the arms of the dear Christ, for whom
she called me- that Christmas night: and she
would make such music there as no one ever
heard on earth. She glad. But. she said.
y doAt rant NaRa to oriere about IT,
You should have seen her face when she
whispered these things in the night time
Then she grew worse the little form became
wasted, and the little face became pnched and
bloodess-ke this turning her eye toward the
sleeping child.
She did not talk TO me amy more but babbed
of the birds and the flowers. Then she would
cease her own sweet prattle and with radiant
face would be listening TO music far
away. 1t was the song of the angels. which she
alone could hear.
"Christmas had come again. and the Tvs which
had brought such cheer in times gone by. were
sad indeed. for there was no rift in the cloud OF
gloom
mo one did anything but weep and watch for
come.
AT length night. the last of the OH year,