The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-02-25
From Dickens Household Words.
A CHILD's DREAM OF A STAR.


There was once child, and he strolled
about good deal, and thought of num-
Der Of things--He had sister who was a
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 wondered at the depth of
tho bright water, they wondered at the
goodness and the power Of God who made
the lovely world.
They used to say to one another some.
times; "Supposing all the children upon
earth were to die, would the flowers, and
the water, and the sky be sorry" They
believed they would be sorry. For" said
they, "the buds are the children Of the
flowers, and the little playful streams that
of the water, and the smallest bright specks,
playing at hide aud seek in the sky all
night, must surely be the children of the
stars, and they would all be grievcd to see
their playmates, tho children of men, no
more.
There was one 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. Whoever saw it first, cried OUT
II see tn. star!' And often they cried out
both together, knowing so we'll when it
would rise. and where. So they grew to be
such friends with itt!,at 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-,he sister dropped, and
came to be so weak that she could no long
er stand in the window at night, auo then
the child looked sadly out by himself, aud
when he saw the star, turned round and said
to the patient pale face on the bed, II see
the star!' and then a smile would come
upon the face, and little weak voic. used
to say, "God bless my brother and the STAR"
And so the time all came too soon!
when the child looked out alone, and when
there was no face on the bed and when
there was a little grave among the graves,
not there before, and when the stars made
long rays down toward him as lie saw it
through his tears.
Now, these rays we're SO bright, and they
seemed to make such a shining way from
earth to Heaven, that when the child went
to his solitary bed, he dreamed about the
star, and dreamed 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 more such angels waited to re-
ceive them.
All these angels, who were waiting turn
ed 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 upon the peoples neck and
kissed them tenderIy, 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 was many angels who did not
60 with them, and among them one he
knew. The patient face that once had laid
upon the bed was gorified radiant, but his
heart found out his sisters among all the
host.
His sisters angel fingered near the en-
trance of the star, and said to the leader
among those who had brought the people
thither:
'Is ny brother comet"
And he said mo"
She WAS turning hopefully away, when
the child stretched out his arms and cried,
"Oh, sister, I am here! Take me !" 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 t0WRrds MN as ne saw IL through his
tears.
hra ~
From that hour forth the child looked
out upon the star as on the home he was
to 90 to, when his time should come; and
he thought that he did not belong to the
earth alone, but to the star too, because ol
his sisters angel gone before.
There was baby born to be brother to
the child; and while he was 80 little that
he never yet had spoken word, he stretched
his'tiny form out on his bed, and died.
Again the child dreamed Of the opened
atAr.'and Of the company Of angels. andtbe
train Of people, and the rows Of angels with
thsir, ,besming eyes all turned upon those