ended a violent storm. This night,
there was to have been a festival in the beautiful hollow.

As the fairies flew along in the troubled air, and the Queen tried
vainly to charm away the coming tempest, (for they were to carry
Charley to the hollow that night,) a dark form, like gathered mist,
went slowly past, her head bent, her arms folded.

And now, the lightnings came with a blinding glare, and the grand
booming of Heaven's artillery awoke the solemn echoes. Fast the
affrighted, shuddering fairies sped away, to hide under the fern
leaves, and in the tiny caves at the foot of the rocks. But the misty,
shadowy form still floated past, till it arrived at the open window of
Charley's room.

[Illustration: THE ANGEL OF DEATH.]

With noiseless motion it glided to the bed, bent over Charley, and
whispered in a soft, sweet voice, "Beloved one, you are taken away in
your early and lovely spring-time, because for you, to live, is to
suffer. You will go where there are no storms, no sorrows, no
sufferings; clasped in my arms, you will sleep, and be at rest
forever."

And Charley smiled lovingly upon the ANGEL OF DEATH, and his sleep
grew deeper, and calmer, and sweeter. But the next day, he told his
mother, and sisters, and brothers, of his mournful visitor, who had
passed out of the window into the veiling clouds, and disappeared. The
children burst into passionate weeping, and clasped him in their arms,
and refused to let him go. The little mother knew he had been
_dreaming as before_; but alas! she knew also only too well, that her
darling's time had come. He suffered no pain; but he became weaker and
weaker, and life was slowly but surely ebbing away. Consumption, that
fell disease, had nearly finished her baleful work, and his lamp of
life, flickering and dim, would soon pass away into the dark valley of
the shadow of death.

God knew best, and in His infinite wisdom saw fit to take Charley out
of this wearisome world, in which, if he had lived, he would suffer so
much.

But the child was so much beloved. _He was the sunlight of the house_;
and the pang of parting would be so cruel. They knew that they would
meet again in the place Jesus had prepared for them in His Father's
house--they knew _that_; but how could they help grieving now?

The good doctor came every day, and used his utmost skill, for he
dearly loved the sweet, patient child; but it was of no avail,
Charley's everlasting HOME was ready for him.