THE PARADISE OF CHILDREN. 109

“O tell us,” they exclaimed, — “tell us what it is!”

“ Do not ask me,” replied Hope, putting her finger on
her rosy mouth. “ But do not despair, even if it should
never happen while you live on this earth. Trust in my
promise, for it is true.”

‘We do trust you!” cried Epimetheus and Pandora,
both in one breath.

And so they did; and not only they, but so has every-
body trusted Hope, that has -since been alive. And, to
tell you the truth, I cannot help being glad — (though, to
be sure, it was an uncommonly naughty thing for her to
do)— but I cannot help being glad that our foolish Pan-
dora peeped into the box. No doubt—no doubt — the
Troubles are still flying about the world, and have in-
creased in multitude, rather than lessened, and are a very
ugly set of imps, and carry most venomous stings in
their tails. I have felt. them already, and expect to feel
them more, as I grow older. But then that lovely and
lightsome little figure of Hope! What in the world
could we do without her? Hope spiritualizes the earth ;
Hope makes it always new; and, even in the earth’s
best and brightest aspect, Hope shows it to be only
the shadow of an infinite bliss hereafter!