The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-08-15
A CHILD'S DREAM OF A STAR.
By CHARLES DICKENS.

There was once child, and he strolle6
about good deal and he thought of q
number of things He had q sister, who
was child too, and his constant COM
panion, The two used to wonder all
day long. They wondered at the beauty
of the flowers; they wondered at the hight
and blueness of the sky; they wondered
at the depth of the bright water, they
wondered at the goodness and power of
God, who made the lovely world. \
They used to say to one another some
times.
'Supposing all the children on earth
we're to die, would the flowers and the
sky and the water be sorry?
They believed that they would be sorry;
for they thought the buds were the chill.
dren of the flowers, and the little playful
streams that gambol down the hill-sides,
were the children Of the waters; and the
smallest bright specks playing at hide and
seek all night in the sky, must surely be
the children of the stars; and they would
ell be grieved to see their playmates, the
children of men no more. - tsl
There was one clear, shining star that
used to come out in the sky before the
rest, near the church spire, above the
graves. Itswas larger and more beauti-
fnl, they thought, than all the others, and
every night they watched for it. standing
hand in hand at the window. Who ever
saw it FIRST, cried out: ce II
nj see the star!" 5e
And often they cried out both together,
knowing so well when it would rise and
where. So they grewsto be such friends
with it, that, before lying down in their
bed, they always looked once again, to
bid it good night; and when they were
turninground to sleep, they would say:
| God bless the STAR .a Il
But while she was still very young, oh
very, very young, the sister dropped, and
became so weak that she could no longer
stand in the window at night; and then
the child looked sadly out by himself, and
when he saw the star, turned round and
looked at the pale face on the bed, and
said: M
Il see the starr and then smile wo'd
come upon the face. and little weak
voice would say: e
4 p God bless my brother and the star
And SO the time came all too soon,
when the child looked out alone, and
when there was no face upon the bed; and
when there was q little grave among the
graves not there before; and when the stal
made long rays down towards him, as h'
saw it through his tears
| Now, these rays we're 80 bright, ant
they seemed to make such shining wa.
from earth to heaven, that when the chill
went to his solitary bed, he dreamed abou
the star; and dreamed that lying .wher
he was, be saw train Of people taken q
that sparkling road by angels. And th
star opening, showed him great worl
of light, where many more such angel
waited to receive them.
All these angels, who were waitirEs
: turned their beaming eyes upon the pee
pie who we're carried up into the star; an
some came ont of the long rows in whic
they stood, and fell upon the people
/ necks, and kissed them tenderly, and wei
y away with them down the avenues of ligl
g. and were so happy in their company, III
4 lying in his bed he wept for joy.
81 But there were many angels who d
: not. go with them, and among them Of
.: he knew The patient face that once hs
10 lain upon the bed was now glori6ed al
70 radiant, but his heart had found out
" sister among all the host.
as His sisters angel fingered near the 9
trance of the star and said to the lead
70 among those who had brought the peol
n hither:
sk tIs my brother Gomez Ilkff
a. And he said NO.
be She was turning hopefully away, wh
On the child stretched out his arms, o
cried: s5ssi4 $ aA
u, oh, sister, I am here. Take me- a
ed then she turned her beaming eyes up
an him, and it was night. and the star v
ZEE shining into his room, making long re-
IL down toward him as he saw it throu
1t his tears. isti
,is From that hour forth the child look
lsf upon the star as the home he was to
vi lto, 1owhen. his time should come, and
thought he did not belong to the ea
Jar alone, but to the star too, because of
ng sisters angel, gone before. ~
ng There was baby born to be brotl
Ito the child. aud while he was yet so lit
on that he, never yet had spoken word,
ws stretched his tiny form out on his bed Q
tdied. sEeg fs -es5
re- Again the child dreamed of the op
ed star and of the company of ang
mr. with beaming eyes all turned npoa tn
peoples taces.
!, Said his sisters angel to the leader:
md is my brother come?' 80
ow, Not that one, but another he said
be As the child beheld his brothers an
re-, in her arms, he cried: ..es.s.gl, ,s.S
for sOh, sister, am here. Take mel
~ g And she turned and smiled upon b
od-I and the star was shining. a1
sap He grew to be . young man, and
his busy, at his books, when an old serv
Use. came to him snd said: ..'a ~