Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-07-02
Written for the Bulletin,

The child was only six years old
when her dearest boy cousin died, yet
all her life she remembered him,
especially his eyes, his soft, dark,
luminous eyes. The boys eyes were
wonderful Strangers used to stop him
in the street to look into Them and,
occasionally, some one would remark,
with a snake of the head Not long
for this world" The child missed
him more than any one knew, for the
souls of little children are shy and
silent and keep their secrets hidden
safe and deep. The child missed him
out of her life, and in her dumb,
childish way used to wonder where he
had gone, and why they shut the eye
lids down so close over his pretty eyes
and why, when she put her lips to his
ear and called him by name, softly,
he gave no answer, nor stirred in his
still sleep, and seemed not to hear
Once she escaped from the family
group and made her way to the quiet
room where, covered with flowers he
slept alone, and whispered to him
Buddy dear, wake up. Come out and
play. The sun is shining, and the gar
den is calling, and there are minnows
and polywogs in the river. I'm lonely
without you, Buddy. I have no one to
play with. Please come"
She waited a minute or two. then
began again. Buddy, what makes you
so still? Is it true that you've gone
that you'll never come back to us,
but we shall go to you. How can I go
to you. Buddy, if L don't know where
you've gomez"
Then, at last, with a long, deep sigh
Goodbye, Buddy. I've tried to wake
you up. I asked God to help me wake
you up. But you do not want to wake
up, you want to stay asleep. Good
And she stole softly out of the room,
closing the door tight behind her
From that day, as long as she lived
she missed her little boy cousin out of
her life
When she was ten, she had wonder
full dream or vision. she could not tell
which. All at once she seemed to be
a long way from home, and alone, in
a. place that was strange to her. Tt was
as though she had fallen asleep Just
as usual, in her own little white bed
1T home with father and mother in
the adjoining room, and her two big,
little brothers. sons of giants, farther
down the hall and then had suddenly
awakened far from home and friends.
alone in the world. and very, very tired
having come a long journey. Her feet
ached, her eyes burned. the garments
she wore chung about her limbs and
impeded her, her hair fell loosely. over
her shoulders and dra ggled across her
face, so that she had to put up both
hands to push it back, and, with it all
her heart beat strangely. She seemed
TO have come across dreary waste
where no green thing grew, and to be
standing in new country where the
hills We're mountain high, and the
world was a forest. with trees enor-
mouslv tall, and the foliage of the
richest, darkest, densest green. almost
black in the shadows. The child
shivered, and choked back a sob. Then
suddenly, she felt herself stepping for
ward, apparently by no volition of her
own. and, as she went, her garments,
which had clunP too tight became
diaphanous, her limbs felt light and
her heart buoyant, as though she could
run and leap and dance and sing for
ever; and whereas her hair had blind