DAISY'S DREAMS.
Strange and pleasant dreams came to Daisy as she slept; and in all of
them she could see the beautiful fairy floating over her head, and her
father walking by her side.
It seemed to her that, as she watched the lightning, the sky really
broke like a dome of glass, and came shattering down, and that after it
floated the loveliest forms, and odors and music came pouring down, and
light which was far clearer, and yet not so dazzling as the light of
earth.
The clouds came floating towards her, and all their golden edges were
bright wings, that waved in time with the music; then came falling,
falling slowly as snow flakes, what seemed little pearly clouds, but
blossomed into flowers and then changed into sweet faces, that all
smiled on her as they passed by.
Among these the little girl searched eagerly for her father's face, when
all at once he took her in his arms, and said, "Ha, my Daisy! is it
you?" in his own merry, pleasant way.
This startled her so much that she awoke, only to fall asleep again, and
dream another dream as wonderful.
But at length the morning sun had crept around the side of the cottage,
found its way through the window, and fell so full on Daisy's face, that
she could dream only of dazzling, dazzling light, which seemed burning
into her eyes, and made her open them wide, at length.
And then, alas! how every thing was changed! Her first thought was of
the fairy; but she had gone, and Daisy had been sleeping in her mother's
easy chair, and felt cold and lonely as she looked around upon the
silent room.
No music there, no flowers and angelic faces, and clouds like chariots
of pearl, with golden wings to hurry them along; no father to take her
in his arms, and call her his little Daisy.
She closed her eyes, and tried to sleep again, for it seemed to her a
great deal better to dream than to be awake in such a dreary little
world as that. But suddenly Daisy thought of her mother, and almost at
the very moment was aroused by a moan from another part of the room.
She ran to Susan's side, and found her sick, and wretched as she was the
night before; so Daisy bathed her head, and brought her some fresh water
from the spring; and when she could not comfort her in any other way,
began to tell her dreams, how she had seen her father again, and felt
sure he must be still alive.
As Susan listened, she dried her tears, and kissed Daisy so fondly that
the little girl no longer wished to be asleep, but was glad that she
had power to run about, and prattle, and amuse her lonely mother.
For she remembered Peter's last words now, that she must be a good girl,
and help, not herself, not sit still and have pleasant dreams, but help
her mother.
And this Daisy felt resolved to do, if only for his sake.