Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-04-05
Lewis CarroII's Easter Greeting.


his many little friends "An Easter Greet
ing 10 Every Child Who Loves Alice. +"
The affectionate, earnest words = so
characteristic OF Rev. c. |. Dodgson and
so Unexpectedly serious from the author
OF the White Rabbit and the Mock Turtle
were printed on Tiny open sheet OF
paper autograph, and inscribed with the
Christian name OF every child TO whom it
was sent on Easter eve. II read as fol-
lows:
Dear Child:
Please to fancy, if you can, that you
are reading real letter. from areal friend
whom you have seen, and whose voice
You can seem 10 yourself to hear wishing
you, as do now with all my heart, a
happy Easter.
Do you know that delicious dreamy
feeling when one first wakes on a sum-
mer morning, with the twitter OF birds in
the air and the fresh breeze coming in at
the open window when, lying laziy
with eyes half shut, one seems as il in a
dream green boughs waving or waters
ripping in golden light? 1t is pleas
ure very near TO sadness, bringing tears
to ones eyes like beautiful picture or
poem. And is not that a mothers gentle
hand that undrawS your curtains and a
mothers sweet voice that summons you
TO rise ? To rise and forget, in the bright
sunlight, the ugly dreams that frightened
you so when all was dark-to rise aud
enjoy another happy day, first kneeling
TO thank that unseen friend who sends
you the beautiful sun?
And these strange words from writer
OF such tales as Alice? And is this a
strange letter TO find in book OF nom
sense q? 1t may be so. Some persons
may blame me for this mixing together
things grave and gay; others may smile
and think il odd that anyone should speak
OF solemn things al all, except in church
and on Sunday but think-nay, am
sure-that some children will read this
gently and lovingly and in the spirit in
which have written il.
For do not believe God means Us thus
TO divide life into two halves-to wear
grave face on Sunday and 10 think it out
of-place 10 even so much as mention him
on week day. Do you think he cares
to see only kneeling figures and 10 hear
only tones Of prayer-and that he does
not also love TO see the lambs leaping in
the sunlight, and 10 hear the merry voices
OF the children IS they roll among the
hay? Surely their innocent laughter is
as sweet 10 his ears as the grandeSt an
them that ever rolled up from the "dim
religious light Of some solemn cathedrall
And if have written anything TO add
TO these stories OF innocent and healthy
amusement that are laid up in books for
the children | love TO look back upon
without shame and sorrow las how much
OF life must then be recalled y when my
turn comes to walk through the valley OF
shadows.
The Easter SIN will rise on you, dear
child, "feeling your life in every limb, 1"
and eager to rush into the fresh morning
air-and many an Easter day will come
and 90 before il finds you feeble and gray
headed, creeping wearily out TO baSk
more in the sunlight-but it is good, even
now, TO think sometimes of that great
morning when the "Sun of Righteous
ness shall arise with healingin his wings. ="
Surely your gladnesS need not be the
less for the thought that you will one day
see a brighter dawn than this-when
loveIier sights will meet your eyes than
any waving trees or ripping waters
when angel-hands shall undraw your
curtains, and sweeter tones than ever
loving mother breathed shall wake you to
new and glorious day-and when all the
sadness, and the sin, that darkened life
on this little earth shall be forgotten like
the dreams OF a night that is past
Your affectionate friend,
LEWIS CARROLL.
Easter, 1876.