The Silver Crown Another Book of Fables
beautiful homelike place. But these white garments are not suitable for me; could I find a black robe, do you think?"

   "Oh no!" said the Angel; "we all wear white here, and it is so much prettier and more becoming. Besides, you must make haste, for they have been waiting long for you."

   "Who have been waiting?" asked the Little Sister in wonder.

   "The children, to be sure!" said the

   Angel. "See! there they come, running to meet you."

   The Little Sister looked, and there came hastening toward her a lovely band, little children and older ones, with floating locks and starry eyes, and all the eyes fixed on her with looks of love, and all the arms stretched out to her with gestures of longing.

   "Oh, the darling, darling children!" cried the Little Sister. "Oh, the little angels! Now I know that this is heaven indeed."

   She fell on her knees, and the children clustered round her, caressing her, and murmuring sweet words in her ear; and all in a moment the hunger that had been at her heart through the years was stilled, and she opened her arms and gathered the children to her breast and wept; happy tears were those!

   "Sweethearts," cried the Little Sister; "dear loves, tell me, whose light and joy and blessing are you?"

   "Yours, of course!" answered the children.

   The little Prince was coming; and in the dim, rich house that was his, some children were making ready a feast for him. They strewed sweet flowers, and lighted the candles, and made ready the table, white and fair, with the gold and silver service.

   "It should stand here!" said one.

   "Nay!" said another; "this is the place for it; and the candles must be over yonder." And he moved them.

   "That I will never consent to!" said the first. "Let me do things properly, while you go and change your dress for a suitable one."

   "I shall not change my dress!" said the second child.

   "Oh, shame!" said the first.


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