THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 11, 23 December 1911, Page 3

THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN.

A 1:.. i fi:; . < i j::i v mu hr. bi.it Ch ri ...I :;,;r ... E'-I'. the r-ro«>| of i.ir-y -!:■>!>;mi s I Lri>i:ir< ■«i the brightly hi '■ti.-.t - «.f tin- lit th- town, splashing good h>*r:.<r.-dl’. a’ong rn ma.-in-lo-'iu-s arid v Irk- dr-ipping tiinbrrdlas dlidi'd with rain-soaked hat-, and a r>l.ea-;uit sound of good wi-Lv- and tb>- 'i'a-iink greetings h’inir upon the air. Happy, rari'less. I.ti-y pe<>; 10. with no thought Beyond the holiday begun, they burried here and there int.-ni upon l;i-t purchases for ! ii.oi'i'' ' - fe -1 11 a 1 'the Atltli-vot'-’grv of the Birth of a Little < 'hi’d.' ,lu t Ley>>:.<l i‘><- iiglits of the town a gr. - :it d’tii building stretehed a st'-eple npwajds. higher than the falle ’ ti".-e.top. gleaming white ag.lin-t tt ; p <-|o-:oed sky. In the narrow leilg;- of die railing which ornariiented the L-Ifry lower, a big grey -tork stood on one leg. surveying 1 lie town l>'low with brooding eye. beside liitii an empty ha-kef. Down tirh’.v tiie peopl..- Lurried al wav.; hurried. ■ If otdy th»-y had more time i" Im niui-miti’ed to liimself. Present ly a- Im stood, there came a rift in the rliiuib above, and a ray of moonlight gleamed tlmiugli. to;:. Ling dm -'.-.pl- with a nilimr.v rmria'm'. Hie stork looked up. i "1 must go.” he said. Takiitin- handle of dm basket jin his Leak, he strut, mb out his t-;r« :it grey wings and flapped silent--Ily off liis perch, sliding upwards Io lie Bright vbft in the darkness. Up : and tip Im went, till the lay of moon ■ light. ..siding him Imi-ame a wid'- ' diining way that 1.-d him j-tt- i the de.rkness and tlm damp < f ram clouds to the Land of Silver Lining: ' ami tti.-re at the gk aming silver gale ■ i;e stopped and knocked. > After a moment the gate was open ‘rd by tin tinge! whom beautiful roan . i-naii'" was ovei-l.mi >wed by the sorrow in !mr eyes. You have Ir-en long in coming, ■ she said -tully site let him in. "They clamour to he gone, t 0..: ! darlings. Wi.y van ymi not. come i oft.• tier I must wait till they command ; me.’’ replied tin- stork reproachfully. ■| eannot l.i.riy them. Only their business tind their pleasure can do that.” "All well'” dm angel sighed. "How many Lave you come for now.” Thr.-• ordy.” : -'Three orilv with tllliee three hundred waiting ' Cannot they be mad- understand ’ Mho are they 'it., waste die Creator's time, rettirding tti:is evolution of mankind Sur.dy tin-y know not of what they deprive ihrse waiting spirits, mu realis- o.e half tlie light and liappi m-m of whi.-h they deprive them selves With Lowed head and cla-pe.l ‘hand- she turned and. led the way towards another gait’, set in a wall ( of shining silm-r. Through the Lars, aimumi wliicli tiny fingers .-lurig. a --a of eager fa.ms pe -p. d. sweet baby fam--, bright ey rd. qms.iou I ing. '-Ha- im . .elm for us -for us . cried a elioru.v of voice*, sounding as -mind dm lippling wavei breaking on yellow sand. ■■Only for Hirer.” r-plied tlm sor lowful arm- I. imbari ing the gate ,ai efiilh. Ti«- re-t of ymi must wait a little longer. Doni mind, dear ones." she added, as a wailing sigli went tip from many little souls: a sigh like tlm first sound of wintvi in vellowiiig poplars. "Swii tlmst ' 1,m..w nri-: tmdc.staml. and set aside their doctrine <■( comfort, electing in its phme a monument to simplicity, sincerity, and true happiness: and then there will •><’ room for all of y ■■ i. ami a welcome on tlm Ear»li ' She ia:<i a hand in tarn on the head- < f tdiri <■ little baby spirits. arid you ami you may go." Tiie wading murmur swelled again. I’,-.- I j a- < wa :• ■; L ■' Remt mix r w hat good mii-t am ervm eoidiil 1 but rmcompii'di my dei tiny i" • -Why mu*t I wait that lift so • miidi unfinished ' ■'! wt'.i must at-me ’ Am I to have u<> t-hatwv . ■ C’.mm,” s a:d tlm stork. ”get into : ; 1..:-k' I. ; ■•:> ti r. •■_ Th. y ai' waiting down there and you .lie wanted.' ; • I mod Lye. littli' brother- and sisi s , r , '” <-ri« t <>nc of tlm three. "I will trv a::d iiriiig happiness and content to mv parents, and *o help you all Io ■g- i. p.ir> :11too. ai d hie wuvi < id- Lami ami el■ 11>< 1 <I mto the Laski s. - (:<i«.d Lyt’.” tisty am-wei-ed. many «. i. I>: r g. ■ And I. tiu.ngh I -ImH have tmmh d... w :'l try and r« im inbcr too. -a.d: tl.v ;'i- he took hi- pl.liu tin- other. ■'• Luid-by <•. little c .mrade-. ’ "C'otue srnnttlines oi my ui'eam* and ri tii’.r.d me. tlm third. ■ Down there they st’tun to have no t;me im- aiding o.i the- ‘..-heme of i.ilv<-r-•■ : t hey have t<m mm h to <io (.:■ t iwiii-t:! v<"* sti.l tach <.timr. Help i me n . r> itmmLer f W, will we w :.l i ea!i< d Lack : the 1 .ally mil CO a- tlm -tork took up the basket ami turnoi .igim towanttiie mitir gate. ILiod byv good bye i Ah. don’t forg'd The sorrowful ang* I v.atclnd tin big grey stork glide down tlm ray <»t moonlight with Iris Imrdf n. then '.'lo* i d tlm gate and lockt d it. returning to her cfiarg l ■■You must be prttmnt and .wait, poor iLir’ing-. ' she -aid -emtl.:ngly. , n 'lt cnrimit b.v very bmg. I hi- i> tm time ‘-f the Christmas hestival or Earth, and ttmv will all -ing pra:-e--i ;,>d ;n iiniri"n of die \\ omb-rtu lliiLe. proclaiming that then- is .ley i’l Heaven among ttm Angels, Vsi o'l ciirtii I'L'ilc. m.mlwi.i I’ ’.L'ti.” b U,I. •I ■ u ' i '■ i. t;. rn::.