During the following week the dead man was buried. The son walked
behind the coffin which contained his father, whom he so dearly loved, and
would never again behold. He heard the earth fall on the coffin-lid, and
watched it till only a corner remained in sight, and at last that also
disappeared. He felt as if his heart would break with its weight of sorrow,
till those who stood round the grave sang a psalm, and the sweet, holy tones
brought tears into his eyes, which relieved him. The sun shone brightly
down on the green trees, as if it would say, “You must not be so sorrowful,
Jean. Do you see the beautiful blue sky above you? Your father is up there,
and he prays to the loving Father of all, that you may do well in the future.”
“I will always be good,” said Jean, “and then I shall go to be with my
father in heaven. What joy it will be when we see each other again! How
much I shall have to relate to him, and how many things he will be able to
explain to me of the delights of heaven, and teach me as he once did on
earth. Oh, what joy it will be!”
He pictured it all so plainly to himself, that he smiled even while the tears
ran down his cheeks.
The little birds in the chestnut-trees twittered, “Tweet, tweet;” they were
so happy, although they had seen the funeral; but they seemed as if they
knew that the dead man was now in heaven, and that he had wings much
larger and more beautiful than their own; and he was happy now, because
he had been good here on earth, and they were glad of it. Jean saw them fly
away out of the green trees into the wide world, and he longed to fly with
them; but first he cut out a large wooden cross, to place on his father’s
grave; and when he brought it there in the evening, he found the grave
decked out with gravel and flowers. Strangers had done this; they who had
known the good old father who was now dead, and who had loved him very
much.
Early the next morning, Jean packed up his little bundle of clothes, and
placed all his money, which consisted of fifty dollars and a few shillings, in
his girdle; with this he determined to try his fortune in the world. But first
