The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-07-26
A Child's Dream of n Star.
BIT CHARLES DICKENS.

There was once child, and he strolled
about good deal and thought of number
of things. He had a sister, who was child
too, and his constant companion. They Won
iered at the beauty Of flowers; they wonder
ed at the heighth and blueness of the sky !;
they wondered at the depth of the bright wa
ter; 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 on earth
were to die, would the flowers and the water
and the sky be sorrys" They believed they
would be s,rry, for, said they, the buds are
the children of the flowers, and the little
playful streams that gambol down the hill
side are the children ofwaters; and the small
lest bright specks playing 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
ofmen no more.
There was no clear shining star that used
to com, ont 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 the
window. Whoever saw it first cried out, 81
see the star ~ And often they cried out
both together, knowing 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 again, to bid
it good night, and when they were turning
around to sleep, they would say "God bless
the STAR"
But while she was still very young, on
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
chlld looked lily out by himself, and when
he saw the star, turned round to the patient
pale face on the bed; 81 see that star!' and
then smile would come upon the face, and
little weak voice used to say; God bless
my brother and that start"
And so the time came all too soon, when
the child looked out alone, and when there
was no face on the bed; and when there was
alittle grave among the graves, not there
before; and when the star made long rays
down towards him, as he saw it through his
tears.
Now these rays were so bright, and they
seemed to make such shining way from
Garth TO heaven, that when the child went to
his solitary he'd, he dreamed about the star ;
and dreamed that lying where he was, he
saw train of people taking up that shining
road by the angels. And the star opening,
show ed him a great world Of light, where
many more such angels waited to receive
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 necks and
kissed them tenderly, 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.
Bat there were many angels who did not
90 with them, and among them one he knew
The patient fsce that had once lain upon
the bed was glorifed and radient, but ms
heart found out his sister among all the host
His sisters angel fingered near the en-
trance of the star, and said to the leader o
those who had brought the people thither.-
"Is my brother Gomez"
And he said, "No
She was turning hopefully away, wheI
the chlld stretched out his arms and said
"Oh, sister, am here! Take me "an'
then she turned her beaming eyes upon him
and it was night; and the star was shining
into hi. room, mixing long rays down to
wards him as he saw it through his tears