The angel

Theangel

"WHENEVERagoodchilddies,anangelofGodcomesdownfromheaven,takesthedeadchildinhisarms,spreadsouthisgreatwhitewings,andflieswithhimoveralltheplaceswhichthechildhadlovedduringhislife.Thenhegathersalargehandfulofflowers,whichhecarriesuptotheAlmighty,thattheymaybloommorebrightlyinheaventhantheydoonearth.AndtheAlmightypressestheflowerstoHisheart,butHekissestheflowerthatpleasesHimbest,anditreceivesavoice,andisabletojointhesongofthechorusofbliss."ThesewordswerespokenbyanangelofGod,ashecarriedadeadchilduptoheaven,andthechildlistenedasifinadream.Thentheypassedoverwell-knownspots,wherethelittleonehadoftenplayed,andthroughbeautifulgardensfulloflovelyflowers.
"Whichoftheseshallwetakewithustoheaventobetransplantedthere?"askedtheangel.Closebygrewaslender,beautiful,rose-bush,butsomewickedhandhadbrokenthestem,andthehalf-openedrosebudshungfadedandwitheredonthetrailingbranches."Poorrose-bush!"saidthechild,"letustakeitwithustoheaven,thatitmaybloomaboveinGod’sgarden."Theangeltookuptherose-bush;thenhekissedthechild,andthelittleonehalfopenedhiseyes.Theangelgatheredalsosomebeautifulflowers,aswellasafewhumblebuttercupsandheart’s-ease.
"Nowwehaveflowersenough,"saidthechild;buttheangelonlynodded,hedidnotflyupwardtoheaven.Itwasnight,andquitestillinthegreattown.Heretheyremained,andtheangelhoveredoverasmall,narrowstreet,inwhichlayalargeheapofstraw,ashes,andsweepingsfromthehousesofpeoplewhohadremoved.Therelayfragmentsofplates,piecesofplaster,rags,oldhats,andotherrubbishnotpleasanttosee.Amidstallthisconfusion,theangelpointedtothepiecesofabrokenflower-pot,andtoalumpofearthwhichhadfallenoutofit.Theearthhadbeenkeptfromfallingtopiecesbytherootsofawitheredfield-flower,whichhadbeenthrownamongsttherubbish."Wewilltakethiswithus,"saidtheangel,"Iwilltellyouwhyasweflyalong."
Andastheyflewtheangelrelatedthehistory."Downinthatnarrowlane,inalowcellar,livedapoorsickboy;hehadbeenafflictedfromhischildhood,andeveninhisbestdayshecouldjustmanagetowalkupanddowntheroomoncrutchesonceortwice,butnomore.Duringsomedaysinsummer,thesunbeamswouldlieonthefloorofthecellarforabouthalfanhour.Inthisspotthepoorsickboywouldsitwarminghimselfinthesunshine,andwatchingtheredbloodthroughhisdelicatefingersasheheldthembeforehisface.Thenhewouldsayhehadbeenout,yetheknewnothingofthegreenforestinitsspringverdure,tillaneighbor’ssonbroughthimagreenboughfromabeech-tree.Thishewouldplaceoverhishead,andfancythathewasinthebeech-woodwhilethesunshone,andthebirdscarolledgayly.Onespringdaytheneighbor’sboybroughthimsomefield-flowers,andamongthemwasonetowhichtherootstilladhered.Thishecarefullyplantedinaflower-pot,andplacedinawindow-seatnearhisbed.Andtheflowerhadbeenplantedbyafortunatehand,foritgrew,putforthfreshshoots,andblossomedeveryyear.Itbecameasplendidflower-gardentothesickboy,andhislittletreasureuponearth.Hewateredit,andcherishedit,andtookcareitshouldhavethebenefitofeverysunbeamthatfounditswayintothecellar,fromtheearliestmorningraytotheeveningsunset.Theflowerentwineditselfeveninhisdreams-forhimitbloomed,forhimspreaditsperfume.
Anditgladdenedhiseyes,andtotheflowerheturned,evenindeath,whentheLordcalledhim.HehasbeenoneyearwithGod.Duringthattimetheflowerhasstoodinthewindow,witheredandforgotten,tillatlengthcastoutamongthesweepingsintothestreet,onthedayofthelodgers’removal.
Andthispoorflower,witheredandfadedasitis,wehaveaddedtoournosegay,becauseitgavemorerealjoythanthemostbeautifulflowerinthegardenofaqueen."
"Buthowdoyouknowallthis?"askedthechildwhomtheangelwascarryingtoheaven.
"Iknowit,"saidtheangel,"becauseImyselfwasthepoorsickboywhowalkeduponcrutches,andIknowmyownflowerwell."
Thenthechildopenedhiseyesandlookedintotheglorioushappyfaceoftheangel,andatthesamemomenttheyfoundthemselvesinthatheavenlyhomewhereallishappinessandjoy.AndGodpressedthedeadchildtoHisheart,andwingsweregivenhimsothathecouldflywiththeangel,handinhand.ThentheAlmightypressedalltheflowerstoHisheart;butHekissedthewitheredfield-flower,anditreceivedavoice.Thenitjoinedinthesongoftheangels,whosurroundedthethrone,somenear,andothersinadistantcircle,butallequallyhappy.Theyalljoinedinthechorusofpraise,bothgreatandsmall,-thegood,happychild,andthepoorfield-flower,thatoncelaywitheredandcastawayonaheapofrubbishinanarrow,darkstreet.

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