atly," said the Child.

"But your lines are crooked!" said the Angel.

THE TORCH-BEARER

A voice came ringing down the way: "Room! room for the Torch-bearer!
room for the keeper of the gates of To-morrow! room!"

"Ah! yes," I said. "It is he, the great sage, who has lightened the
world-shadows this many a year. Who should bear the torch but he?"

I looked, and the sage passed, his arms folded on his breast, his calm
eyes bent forward, seeing many things: but no torch was in his hand.

And still the cry came ringing down the world's way: "Room for the
Torch-bearer! make way! make way for the keeper of the gates of
To-morrow!"

"Ah!" I said. "It will be the mighty leader, then; he who so long has
marshalled our hearts, and led us whithersoever he would with a wave of
his hand. Hail to him, hail to the Master of Armies!"

But as I looked, the Master passed, and his truncheon hung low by his
side, and his eyes looked downward, remembering; and no torch was in his
hand.

Yet still, as I marvelled, came that great cry ringing down the world's
way, and now it sounded loud in my ears.

"Room! room! make way, give place! the Torch-bearer comes. Make way for
the keeper of the gates of God!"

And once more I looked.

Ah! bare and dusty were her feet, the little woman; and she went bowed,
and stumbled on the rough stones, for the great torch hung heavy in her
hand, and heavy the babe on her arm: but he sat there as on a throne,
and laughed and leaped as he sat, and clutched the living torch and
shook it, flinging the blaze abroad, and the world-way lightened before
him.

THE STONE BLOCKS

"Why is your little sister crying, dear?" asked the Play Angel. "I
thought you were taking care of her."

"So I am, taking beautiful care of her," said the child. "But the more
beautiful care I take, the more she cries. She does not like care to be
taken of her."

"Let me see!" said the Play Angel; and she sat down on the nursery
floor. "Now show me what you have done."

"Look!" said the child. "First I showed her all my dolls, and then all
my new dresses; and now I have given her my new stone blocks to play
with, but she will not play, only puts them in her mouth and cries."

"Perhaps she is hungry!" said the Play Angel. She took a piece of bread
from the folds of her robe and gave it to the baby; and the baby
stopped crying, and ate the bread, and laughed and crowed.

"See!" said the Angel. "Now she is ha