Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-05-08
f, MAY g. 1850.
From Dickens New Paper, Household Words.
A Child's Dream of a Star.

There was once child, and he strolled a.
bout good deal, and thought of number of
things. He had sister who was child too
and his constant companion. These two used
to wonder all day long. They wondered at the
beauty Of the flowers; they wondered at the
height and blueness of the sky; they wonder
ed at the depth of the bright water; they won-
dered at the goodness and power of God who
made the lovely world.
They used to say to one another, sometimes
Snpposing all the children upon earth were to
die, would the flowers and the water and the
sky, be sorry? They believed they would be sor.
rys For, said they, the buds are the children of
the flowers, and the little playful streams that
! gambol down the hill-sides are the children of
the water; and the smallest bright specks play
ing at hide and seek in the sky all night must
surely be the children of the stars; and they
would all be grieved to see their playmates, the
children of men, no more.
There was clear shining star that used to
come out in the sky before the rest, near the
church spire, above the graves 1t was larger
and more beautiful, they thought, than all the
others, and every night they watched for it
standing hand in hand at window. Who
ever saw it first, cried out, II see the star!'
And often they cried out both together, know
ing so well when it would rise, and where
So they grew to be such friends with it, that
before laying down in their beds, they always
looked out once again to bid it good night;
and when they were turning round to sleep they
used to say, "God bless the star!''
But while she was still very young, oh very,
very young, the sister dropped, and came to be
so weak that she could no longer stand in the
window at night; and then the child looked sad
ly out by himself, and when he saw the star,
turned round and said to the patient pale face
on the bed, II see the starr and then smile
would come upon the face and little weak
voice used say, aGod bless my brother and
the star!"
And so the time came all too soon! when the
lchild looked out alone and when there was
little grave among the graves not there before;
and when the star made long rays down to-
wards him as he saw it through his tears.
Now, these rays were SO bright and they
seemed to make such q shining way from earth
to Heaven, that when the child went to his So
litary bed he dreamed about the star; and dream
ed that lying where he was he saw train Of
people taken up that sparkling road by angels.
And the star, opening showed him great
world Of light where many moresuch angels
| waited to receive them.s
All these angels who were waiting turned
their beaming eyes upon the people who were
carried up into the star; and some came out from
the long rows in which they stood and fell up
on the peoples necks, and kissed them tender
ly, and went away with them down avenues Of
light, and were SO happy in their company, that
lying in his bed he wept for joy.
But there were many angelswho~ did not go
with them, and among them one he knew. The
patient face that once had lain upon the bed was
glori6ed and radiant, but his heart found out
his sister among all the host.
His sisters angel fingered near the entrance
of the star, and said to the leader among those
who had brought the people hither:
sIs my brother comet"
And he said "No."
She was turning hopefully away, when the
child stretched out his arms and cried, 20, Sis
ter, l am here! Take mel. and then she turned
her beaming eyes upon him and it was night
and the star was shining into the room, making
/ long rays down towards him as he saw it
through his tears
From that hour forth, the child looked out
upon the star as on the home he was to 60 to,
when his time should come; and he thought
that he did not belong to the earth alone, bu-
to the star too, because Of his sisters angelbe
fore.
/ There was baby born to- the child; and
while he was 50 little that he never yet had
spoken word he stretched his tiny form out on
his bed and died.
Again the child dreamed of ths9pened star,
and Of the company Of angels, and the train
Of people, and the rows Of angels with thsil
beaming eyes all turned upon those peoples
faces.
Said his sisters angel to the leader:
us my brother come!'
i And he said, sNot that one, but another
As the child beheld his brofher's angelin hsl
arms, he cried, &c, ulster, am ksre! Take met
And she turned and smiled upon him, and u
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