<<  GUARDIAN ANGELS  >>

'TWAS evening. The sun had sunk behind the distant hill-tops, and the sombre shades of night were fast gathering round the snowy couch of a little sufferer. A careful hand had folded aside the muslin shade, and the faint light of evening rested on the pale, sweet face of little Alice. Her eyes were closed in troubled sleep. Frightful dreams seemed passing through her infant mind, and low, sad murmurs escaped her unclosed lips ; while the deep sigh or gentle groan oft indicated sudden pain. One little arm was thrown across her pillow, half buried in the thickly clustering folds of shining hair that had escaped from its gauzy case.

All was still., No noise, no sound, save the low moan of little Alice, was heard within. Busy feet, on tip-toe, came and went, friends looked grief, yet spoke not, but the tears that coursed each other quickly down the mother's pale, wan cheek, as she stood almost breathless, bending over her suffering child, too plainly told her anxious sorrow.

At length the lids slowly unclosed, and the soft, blue eyes rested upon her mother. She smiled, oh, that smile ! The first for many, many long weeks ! Then the mother wept tears of joy, as she thought that her child, her only one, might still live to be her solace in after years. Alas! fond parent, thy hope is vain ! Even now the guardian angel waits to take her to Him who gave her thee.

She spoke."Mother, I 'm going to live in Heaven ; I wish papa would come home poor pa !"

" He 'll be here soon, my child ; but you must be quiet and not talk now, for you have been very sick."

Soon the door opened." Wife, said a stern voice, " how is Alice, to-night ?"

" I 'm afraid, William, she is worse. She has been stupid and quite sick all day. She has been wishing you would come ; but I think she is asleep now. Speak softly, or you may wake her."

" Has Dr. H called to-day ?"

"Yes, and he thought she was doing well; but he left more medicine, and said he would call this evening. I wish you would stay at home to-night, William if she should be worse."

" I would, but I have an important engagement for this evening; and, really," said he, looking at his dying child, " she seems to me no worse than yesterday ! Don't be alarmed, wife, Dr. H ---will be here to see her, and I shall be home at eleven, and if anything---"

" How is papa's little Alice to-night sick, eh ? " Alice looked, but replied not.

" Allie, dear," said her mother," your papa has come now." Still she spoke not;" Allie, Allie, your papa has come; wont you speak to papa?"

" Dear papa," said the sweet little child, raising her deep blue eyes," I'm going to Heaven."

"Nonsense," said the infidel father," you have been dreaming I guess."

"Yes, papa, I have dreamed a sweet dream, and I saw little children with wings, so happy and they smiled, and said I was coming to live with them. And I asked if mamma would come, and they said yes. And I asked if my papa would come, too, and they looked so sad, and wept ; and I wept, too, papa, for I wanted you should go there and be happy."

"Well, well, Allie," said he, stooping to kiss her, arid a tear dropped upon her pale brow. As he turned to leave the room, Alice stretched out her little thin hand, and said " Don't go, papa, your little Alice is dying."

 " No, no, Allie," said he, turning to hide his tears," you'll be better to-morrow good-bye ---papa will come back pretty soon."

 " Come to Heaven, papa, and see little Alice."

The unhappy father left the room, and soon after he might have been seen hurrying away to the gaming-table. Faster and faster he hurried on, as if to leave his very thoughts behind.

" Poor little Allie !" thought he. "Going to Heaven children with wings I wonder what put such thoughts into the child's head ? Going to Heaven I wonder if there is a Heaven or not I wish I knew I almost wish I had staid with poor little Alice I'll go back no, wife will think I am anxious I'll go to-night and try to win, and then I'll stay with wife and Alice, and talk with her about Heaven,
ha! She is a good child, though ! anyhow what if she should die ? I almost wish I had staid at home."

********

" Ah, ha ! Merton," said a fellow-gambler, "we are rather late to-night. They will take the advantage of us."

"Yes, I wish I had stayed at home."

" Poh ! your wife has been crying, hey ?

" No but ---"

"Here, here's the No. what are you thinking of, Merton?"

 Once seated at the gaming-table, home and its inmates were forgotten. Deeper and deeper grew the excitement of the game ;wager uponwager was laid down, until one thought, only,
pervaded each mind. " Who should win !" The wine-cup was passed round eyes flashed with intense excitement loud bursts of laughter echoed round the dimly lighted room, till at length the game closed. All was still as midnight for a moment, and then " William Merton up for three thousand dollars!" shouted a dozen voices in a breath.

" There, now," said one, w dja't you wish you had stayed at home ? Guess the dear woman won't cry when you show her that ; ha ! ha !"

" Can't tell," thought Morton ; for home and his dear Alice just then darted through his mind. Hastily he gathered up his wicked treasure, and, as he hastened out, he glanced at his watch. "Passed twelve! 'Tis bad, I declare; I told wife I'd be at home at eleven. Well. I've won, and 'tis the last time I'll go there, any how! "

What! the last time, is it?" said a well known voice. " You think, then, you will escape with all this booty, hey ? We shall see," thought he. " Now, Merton," suid the wily friend, stepping forward, and putting his arm within Merton's, "don't give up so! you've made well to-night, and there is no hurt in it at all. Keep on in the money-making line, is my advice to you, take it as you may. But good night, my friend ; remember next Tuesday, and show yourself a man. Good-night; don't forget to show your wife the money ; ha ! ha !'

" Not till I see how Alice is," thought he ;and hurried on, ever and anon thinking what new investment he would make, and what presents he would make his wife and Alice. Vain dreamer! Thou knowest not the grief that awaits thee.

Again William Merton is standing by his own room door, lost in thought. Why does he hesitate? why listen so attentively with his hand on the latch ? Why do sad forebodings and feelings of remorse enter his mind ? With trembling hand he lifts the latch, and starts at the sound, so deep was the stillness around him. His wife met him in the hall.

" O William ! why didn't you come ?"

" Why ! haven't I ? How is she ?" He could not say Alice, for he read the worst of his fears in his wife's mournful face.

" Is she worse ?"

"O William, Allie, little Allie, is---"

"Is what?" said he, springing to the bedside.

O, stricken father ! Call her not she is gone ! Thy voice she cannot hear ! Thy kiss she cannot feel! Thy tears she cannot see! Yet weep, strong man,, and let those scalding tears wash guilty stains from out your sinful heart.

" O God ! " he cried in bitterness of woe "why did'st them take my sweet little Alice from me ? O Alice ! why did I not stay at home with you ? why did I leave you when you wished me to stay ? All for money ! money
! What is money now to me ! Will it put life into that cold clay ? Will it bring back Alice? Oh! had I listened to the voice of my dying child ! I never will go again, Allie, never ! What is all the money I won to-night in exchange for my darling Allie ?" thought he, feeling for his pocket-book." What ! Gone !" a crimson flush passed over his face, and, after searching more carefully, he exclaimed, in a tone of bitter vexation " the villain has robbed me ! I'm ruined forever ! The villain ! I'll meet him I'll have satisfaction, either my money or ---"

"William, William," said Mrs. Merton, who had just come in. as he spoke the last words," what are you saying ?"

" Saying, why I'm ruined, that's what I say ;"and he bowed his head and wept.

"Don't, William, grieve so ; all may yet be well. Little Alice, we hope, has gone to rest. Gone, I trust, to Heaven, where she will be far happier than she could be here. Let us, William, so live that we may hope to join her there."

" Talk not of Heaven to me, I'm wicked !oh, how wicked! Guilty, yes, guilty! Did not the angels look sad when my angel Alice asked if papa would come ? Ah ! 1 have been a wicked, sinful man ! Do I not deserve all this, and more ? It is right God is just ! But I will, henceforth, try to live a better man!"

Mrs. Merton affectionately took his hand, for her heart was too full for utterance, and together
they knelt by the bedside where the little clay-cold form of Alice lay enshrouded, and for the first time, since by his mother's knee, in.
early childhood, did William Merton's lips move in silent prayen And when he rose and pressed a kiss on the cold brow of the little Alice, he was an altered man.

********

Years passed away, and again the gentle wife watched by the bedside of the dying. 'Twas not the same room oh, no! 'twas much smaller, and more poorly furnished. The same kind and careful hand bathed the parched lips, and wiped the death-damp from his mar ble brow. But who is the sufferer ? Ah ! i& it the same rich William Merton ? Even so.

" Dear wife," said the dying man, " I must soon leave you. The sum I have saved for you and our dear children is small take it and rejoice that it has been honestly earned. I die happy farewell Allie I come."

Guardian angels ! do we doubt them ?
Night by night, and day by day ;
Could we guide our steps without them,
Where would wavering fancy stray ?
Ev'ry noble thought that's spoken,
Ev'ry smile, and ev'ry sigh,
Are they not a sign a token
That some guardian angel's by ?

Guardian angels, hovering o'er us,
Keep the soul, in mercy, pure ;
Had we not bright hope before us,
Could we this frail world endure ?
Then, be sure, that ever near us
Voices come from forms unseen,
Breathed by angels sent to cheer us,

 

        GUARDIAN ANGELS

CHILD of earth, and child of heaven !
Each alike in form and face,
Save that wings to one are given,
Something too of loftier grace.

Yet the trustful and the true
Dwell in meekness with the other
These alone it was that drew
From the skies its angel-brother.

Half in blindness, half in trust,
Guardian arms around him pressed,
Sleeps the child of time and dust,
Shielded by his cherub guest.

Angel child ! and child of earth !
Semblance ye of hidden things ;
One hath reached its spirit-birth,
One but waiteth for its wings.