Year: 1873

One would think that might have be-
come familiar enough with the images
of death and destruction yet somehow
the image of Pickles little dancing fig
ure, lying stiff and stark between his pa
rents has made me weep more than all
else. There was little hope that he
could do Justice to himself, or lead a
happy little life in so perplexed world,
but never was character of richer ca
pacity-never more charming child


Mrs. Greeley had some peculiar ideas
which she carried out in the training
and care of Pickle; and although MIR.
Greeley did not regard them as alto,
gether practicable, yet he had so high a
reverence for the office and responsible.
ty and selfdenials of the mother, that
he considered that any conscientious
wish of hers should be supreme. And
she had very pure and bright subject
for her educational experiments. Eve
rything about his person was kept with
the most scrupulous nicely, and no arti-
Gle used by him was ever suffered to be
appropriated by any one else. All his
things were under her personal care.
His food was simple, but the best of It's
kind. The lightest bread and pure new
milk from the COW formed his principal
diet. The atmosphere around him was
to be bright and clear. His mother
never allowed any harsh or discordant
subjects, any moving accidents by flood
or field, any of the offences of humanity
to be referred to in his presence. She
spoke to him of natural death but in no
way of taking life through mans instru-
mentality. She was firm believer in
Immortality, and in talking to him, she
compared the laying off the body with
the leaving of one house for another, a
more beautiful one, which the kind faith
er had built for us. But nothing cruel
or painful could be mentioned before him.
No matterwho was present, or who might
be the offender, she vigilantly guarded
the boy from receiving any other than
pleasant and innocent ideas, by taking
him Immediately away. if any distress
or wickedness was referred to by any
one, however inadvertently. If it seemed
to impose unnecessary restraint upon
speech, it was not without benefit in
teaching her associates how foolishly
topics Of this kind are suffered, like a
noxious weed, to over-run common con-
versation.


The Sabbath were red-letter days to
Pickle, for then his father was more at
home, and the walks, and the talks, the
readings with him made it high festi-
val. An illustrated edition of the scrip
lures was favorite with the child, who
used to beg his father to look at the pic
lures and read to him from the book.
Especially he delighted in the life OF
Christ. Mrs. Grerley had warned her
husband not to read anything painful
or referring to crime. In going over
Johns narrative he came to the express
sion


After these things Jesus walked in
Galilee, for he would not walk in Jewry,
because the Jews sought to kill him. y
and he hastily substituted the word
plague for kill.


1t happened that day that the mother
entered the room where they had beeu
thus engaged, and expressed her doubts
whether Pickle could possibly under
stand or remember any of this, but the
boy ran up to her, saying eagerly


"Oh, yes, | can tell all about the
good Jesus"


And he repeated, without hesitation,
the exact words of the entire story, but
when he came to the passage he said:


Because the Jews sought to annoy
him. thus substituting word that he
preferred.


In the summer of 1S49, little Pickle,
SO carefully cared for, so fair, SO bright,
so strong, died after few hours of i'll
ness.


Mrs Greeley, who had held every
thing subordinate to his good, and built
so many sweet hopes on him, beheld
him snatched from her, with fearless
fortitude. But the strain was too much
for her, and her health, previously deli
cate, became very much impaired !:
while Mr.. Greeley renewed his active
life when he had laid his darling boy
away, but never after lost the vivid
consciousness of the precious presence
lent for so brief time. and SO suddenly
changed into heavenly hope. Immor-
tality became to both dearer in its rec
oning than all the occupations and sat
isfaetions of the present life.


A New York chemist says he can re-
duce old boot legs to beefsteak. Some