The gentleman was not alone, but had a lady of about the same age with him, who was his wife; and they had children, who were with them too.They all went on together through the wood, cutting down the trees, and making a path among the branches, and carrying burdens and working hard.
Sometimes they came to a long green avenue that opened into deeper woods.Then they would hear a very distant little voice crying, "Father, father, I am another child! Stop for me!" And presently they would see a very little figure, growing larger as it came along, running to join them.When it came up, they all crowded round it, and kissed and welcomed it; and then they all went on together.
Sometimes they came to several avenues at once; and then they all stood still, and one of the children said, "Father, I am going to sea;" andanother said, "Father, I am going to India;" and another, "Father, I am going to seek my fortune where I can;" and another, "Father, I am going to heaven."So, with many tears at parting, they went, solitary, down those avenues, each child upon its way; and the child who went to heaven rose into the golden air and vanished.
Whenever these partings happened, the traveler looked at the gentleman, and saw him glance up at the sky above the trees, where the day was beginning to decline, and the sunset to come on.He saw, too, that his hair was turning gray.But they could never rest long, for they had their journey to perform, and it was necessary for them to be always busy.
At last, there had been so many partings that there were no children left, and only the traveler, the gentleman, and the lady went upon their way in company.And now the wood was yellow; and now brown; and the leaves, even of the forest trees, began to fall.
They came to an avenue that was darker than the rest, and were pressing forward on their journey without looking down it, when the lady stopped.
"My husband," said the lady, "I am called."They listened, and they heard a voice a long way down the avenue say, "Mother, mother!"It was the voice of the child who had said, "I am going to heaven!" and the father cried, "I pray not yet.The sunset is very near.I pray not yet."But the voice called, "Mother, mother!" without minding him, though his hair was now quite white, and tears were on his face.
Then the mother, who was already drawn into the shade of the dark avenue, and moving away with her arms still around his neck, kissed him and said, "My dearest, I am summoned, and I go!" And she was gone.The traveler and he were left alone together.
And they went on and on, until they came very near to the end of the wood; so near, that they could see the setting sun shining red before them through the trees.
Yet once more, while he broke his way among the branches, the traveler lost his friend.He called and called, but there was no reply, andwhen he passed out of the wood and saw the peaceful sun going down upon a wide purple prospect, he came to an old man sitting upon a fallen tree.He said to the old man, "What do you here?" And the old man said, with a calm smile, "I am always remembering.Come and remember with me."So the traveler sat down by the side of the old man, face to face with the serene sunset; and all his friends came softly back and stood around him.The beautiful child, the handsome boy, the young man, the father, mother, and children every one of them was there, and he had lost nothing.He loved them all, and was kind and forbearing with them all, and they all honored and loved him.
DEFINITIONS:--Scents, smells.Cricket, a game at ball very popular in England.Solitary, alone.Summoned, called.Allegory, a truth related in the form of a story.
