【正文】 gathers a large handful of flowers, which he carries up to the Almighty, that they may bloom more brightly in heaven than they do on earth. And the Almighty presses the flowers to His heart, but He kisses the flower that pleases Him best, and it receives a voice, and is able to join the song of the chorus of bliss.　　These words were spoken by an angel of God, as he carried a dead child up to heaven, and the child listened as if in a dream. Then they passed over wellknown spots, where the little one had often played, and through beautiful gardens full of lovely flowers.　　”Which of these shall we take with us to heaven to be transplanted there?” asked the angel.　　Close by grew a slender, beautiful, rosebush, but some wicked hand had broken the stem, and the halfopened rosebuds hung faded and withered on the trailing branches.　　”Poor rosebush!” said the child, “l(fā)et us take it with us to heaven, that it may bloom above in God’s garden.”　　The angel took up the rosebush。 for her old grandmother, theonly person who had lovedher, and who was now no more, had told her, thatwhen a star falls, a soul ascends to drew another match against the wall:it was again light, and in the lustrethere stood the old grandmother, so bright and radiant, so mild, and with suchan expression of love.　　”Grandmother!” cried the little one. “Oh, take me with you! You go away whenthe match burnsout。whenthe match went out and nothing but the thick, cold, damp wall was leftbehind. She lighted another match. Now there she was sitting under the mostmagnificent Christmas tree:it was still larger,and more decorated than theone which she had seen through the glass door in the rich merchant’s house.　　Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gailycoloredpictures, such as she had seen in the shopwindows, looked down upon little maiden stretched out her hands towards them whenthe match wentout. The lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher,she saw them nowas stars in heaven。 butthe small flame went out, thestove vanished:she had only the remains of the burntout match in her hand.　　She rubbed another against the wall:it burned brightly, and where the lightfell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil, so that shecould see into the room. On the table was spread a snowwhite tablecloth。 yes, of that she a corner formed by two houses, of which one advanced more than the other,she seated herself down and cowered together. Her little feet she had drawnclose up to her, but she grew colder and colder, and to go home she did notventure, for she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing ofmoney:from her father she would certainly get blows, and at home it was coldtoo, for above her she had only the roof, through which the wind whistled,even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags.　　it was a wonderful light. It seemed really to thelittle maiden as though she were sitting before a large iron stove, withburnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The fire burned with suchblessed influence。noone had given her a single farthing.　　She crept along trembling with cold and hungera very picture of sorrow, thepoor little thing!The flakes of snow covered her long fair hair, which fell in beautiful curlsaround her neck。 the other had been laid hold of by anurchin, and off he ran with it。so large were they。 it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and eveningthe last evening of the this cold and darkness there went along thestreet a poor little girl,bareheaded,and with naked feet. When she left homeshe had slippers on, it is true。 but went quietly into the bedroom, took all the bedclothes off the bed, and put three little peas on the bedstead. She then laid twenty mattresses one upon another over the three peas, and put twenty feather beds over the mattresses.　　Upon this bed the Princess was to pass the night.　　The next morning she was asked how she had slept. “Oh, very badly indeed!” she replied. “I have scarcely closed my eyes the whole night through. I do not know what was in my bed, but I had something hard under me, and am all over black and blue. It has hurt me so much!”　　Now it was plain that the lady must be a real Princes