Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/378

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and clapped their hands for joy, as their father entered. He was wet and wean'^, and shook the snow from his garments, as the children crowded round him, and seizing his cloak, hat, stick, and gloves, with busy zeal, ran with them from the room. Then as he sat down to hig meal before the fire, the children climbed about his knee, and the mother sat by his side, and all seemed happiness and comfort.

" But a change came upon the view, almost imperceptibly. Thfe scene was altered to a small bed- room, where the fairest and youngest child lay dying ; the roses had fled from his cheek, and the light frotid his eye ; and even as the sexton looked upon him with an interest he had never felt or known before, he died. His young brothers anA sisters crowded round his little bed, and seized his tiny hand, so cold and heavy ; but they shrunk back from its touch, and looked with awfe on his infant face; for calm and tranquil as it was, and*sleeping in rest and peace as the beautiful child seemed to be, they saw that he was dead, and they knew that he was an angel looking down upon, and blessing them, from a bright and happy Heaven.

" Again the light cloud passed across the picture, and again the sub- ject changed. The father and mother were old and helpless now, and the number of those about them was diminished more than half; but content and cheerfulness sat on every face, and beamed in every eye, as they crowded round the fireside, and told and listened to old stories of earlier and bygone days. Slowly and peacefully the father sank into the grave, and, soon after, the sharer of all his cares and troubles followed him to a place of rest and peace. The few, who yet sur- vived them, knelt by their tomb, and watered the green turf which covered it with their tears ; then rose and turned away, sadly and mournfully, but not with bitter cries, or despairing lamentations, for they knew that they should one day meet again ; and once more they mixed with the busy world, and their content and cheerfulness were restored. The cloud settled upon the picture, and concealed it from the sexton's view.

" ' What do you think of that ? ' said the goblin, turning his large face towards Gabriel Grub.

" Gabriel murmured out something about its being very pretty, and looked somewhat ashamed, as the goblin bent his fiery eyes upon hira.

contempt. * You !' He appeared disposed to add more, but indignation choked his utterance, so he lifted up one of his very pliable legs, and flourishing it above his head a little, to insure his aim, administered a good sound kick to Gabriel Grub ; immediately after which, all the goblins in waiting crowded round the wretched sexton, and kicked hirtt without mercy, according to the established and invariable custom of courtiers upon earth, who kick whotn royalty kicks, and hug whom royalty hugs.
 * * You a miserable man!' said the goblin, in a tone of excessive

" ' Show him some more, ' said the king of the goblins.

" At these words the cloud was again dispelled, and a rich and beau- tiful landscape was disclosed to view — there is just such another to thii day, within half a mile of the old abbey town. The sun shone from oui