The Apple Dumpling and Other Stories for Young Boys and Girls | Page 5

to set him a good example, and he was determined to be as good a boy as Henry.
Not many weeks after this, poor little Charles was taken sick. He was very sick indeed, and every day he grew worse. The doctor did all he could for him, and Henry stayed with him night and day, and would hardly take any rest. He gave him all his medicine, and sang to him very often when he was in pain. But Charles did not get any better, and at last the doctor said that he could not make him well--the little boy must die.
When Henry heard this, the tears burst from his eyes, and he sobbed out, "Oh, my brother! oh, my brother! I cannot part with you, my little precious brother."
The poor little fellow had become so weak and thin that he could scarcely lift his hands from the bed where he lay.
The last night came. He knew that he would not live many hours, for his dear Mother had said so; and now she told him, that as he had always tried to be a good boy, he would go to Heaven, and Jesus would take him into His bosom, and love him, and keep him, until they came to him.
His little pale face grew bright. "Dear Mother," said he, "will Jesus let my brother come to me? I want my brother in Heaven. Come here close to me," said he to Henry. His brother leaned his face down close to the little boy's face, and helped him clasp his arms around his neck, and then he whispered, in a soft, weak voice, "Do not cry, dear brother--do not cry any more. I will pray to Jesus to let you come very soon and sing me to sleep in Heaven."
These were the last words he spoke, for his breath grew shorter and shorter, and soon after his little hand dropped away from his brother's, and he was dead.
And his Father had him buried in Highgate Cemetery.
It was in the summer time that he died, and his brother Henry planted a white rose-bush at the foot of the little grave, and a red rose-bush at the head, and often in the pleasant summer afternoons he would go alone to Highgate, and sit upon little Charley's grave, and think how he might at that moment be praying for him in Heaven.
Henry is now a man. He was always a good boy. He is now a good man; and although many years have passed since he lost his little brother, he goes every summer to Highgate to visit his grave; and the tears always come into his eyes when he speaks of him, and tells that little Charley's last words were, that he would pray to Jesus to let his darling brother come soon, and sing him to sleep in Heaven.

ANNIE BROWNE.
Little Annie Browne was an only child, that is, she had no little brothers or sisters; so you may be sure her parents loved this little girl very much indeed, and were always endeavouring to make her happy. Now I wonder if the dear little boy or girl, who is reading this, can guess the means that Annie's Father and Mother took to make her happy.
Did they give her plenty of candy? No. Did they buy new play-things for her every day? No. Did they take her very often to the Museum or the Zoological Gardens? No; this was not the way. I will tell you what they did; and I will tell you what Annie did for one whole day when she was about five years old, and that will give you a very good idea of the way they took to make her good, for then she was sure to be happy.
Well, one day Annie woke up very early in the morning, and, sitting up in her little bed, which was close by the side of her Mamma's, she first rubbed her eyes, and then she looked all round the room, and saw a narrow streak of bright light on the wall. It was made by the sun shining through a crack in the shutter. She began to sing softly this little song, that she had learned in school,--
"What is it shines so very bright, That quick dispels the dusky night?-- It is the sun--the sun; Shedding around its cheerful light, It is the sun--the sun."
Presently she looked round again, and saw her Mamma sleeping. She said, in her soft little voice, "Mamma, Mamma! good morning, dear Mamma!"
But her Mamma did not wake up. Then she crept over her to where her Papa was sleeping, and said,--
"Papa, Papa! good morning, dear Papa!"
But her Papa was too fast asleep to hear her. So she gave her Papa a little kiss on