Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-05-15
fnesioe
A Child's Dream Of a Star.

There was ence a child, and he strolled
about a good deal, and thought q number of
things lie had a sister who was a child,
too, and his constant companion. These
two used to weRdE az day long. They
wondered at the Beauty Of the g9ewers they
wondered at the bright and blueness of the
sky they wondGed at the depth Of the
bright water they wondered at the goodness
and power of God who made the lovely
They used to say u one another some
times, sapposing all the children upon earth
were to die, would the 1swers, and the wa
tiers, and the sky, be sUry2 They believed
they ws0ua2 be sorry. For, said they, the
buds are the children of flowers, and the
attle playful streams that gambol down the
hill-sides are the children of the water,
and the smallest bright specks, playing at
hide.and-seek in the sky all night, must
surely be the ohEdren Of the stars ; and they
would 81 be grieved to see their ~playmates,
the children OF Gen, 40 more.
There was one clear shining star that used
cut jR ihs SKY before the rest. near
y the church spire, above the graves. 10 was
CAREER andmose beautiful, they thought, THAI
all the others, and every night they watched
for II standing hand in hand at a window
whoever saw It first cried out, i see the
starr And often they cried out both to-
.pethor, knowing so well when it would rise,
and where. Sothey grew to be such friends,
with il, that before laying down an their
beds. they always looked out once again to
bid It good night;-ana when they were
turning round to Sleep they used to say,
God bless the star
But while she was gtal very young, on,
ryorv xerv Young, the sister dropped, and
csms1artayow weak that she could no lenge r
.sf,nd in the window at night; and then tn G
child looked sadlysout by himself and when
he cav the star, turned round and said TO
the patient pale face ON the bed 1 see the
star / and thea q smile would come upon the
face and A littlc weak voice used to say,
aGod bless my brother and the start
And 50 the tnne,came, all too soon! when
che child looked out alone, and when there
was no face "a: the bed and when there was
n little grave among the graves, net there
before and when the star made long rays
down towards him, as he SGw it through has
tears.
Now. these rays were SO bright, and they
seemed to make such aEhiEing way from
earth To- Heagen,t that when the child wen'
to his solitary bed, he dEsamed about ta'
star; and dreamed that, lying where he was
he saw a tri;n o. peQple taken up that spark
lingroad by sRgcis. And the star, opening
showed him a great world Of light, when
many .R,ore such aRgels waited to receS9
Uhem.
All these angds, wh0 were waiting, trrI
cd their haaming eyes @pon the people wi
we're ,Carviea up into the star; and sou
came o~nufrom the lepg vows in which tn.
stood, sndfeh uPonsthe peoples necks, a
kissed thesa tendO-ly, and went AWAY "
them down Haenues Of light, and were
happy in their company, that lying in
,bed he wept for joyl
But there were maay aRgels whO did
10 with them, Ind aMeng them one
knew. nhe patient face that Grce had |
upon the bed NNE glorieed aud radiant, /
his heart sfsuAd out his sister among
host.
His sisters angel fingered near the the
STRANGE Of the star, and said TO the lea
among those whs had Drought the pee
.hither:
is my.brother Gomez
And he said Mo-
She Was tuning hopefully away, when
vchiid stretched outlkis arms, and cried
sister, / am herel Lake mel and then
lturned her heamigg eyes upon him, an
was night, apdGtlte star was shining into
-pom, makiag long rays dowa towards
Nc saw 1t through has tears.
that hour forth, the child locked
HPon =. star as,cn the Home be was t
~ WIEN his time should GENE; End
anousne ina Ne did not belong to the {
alone, out 70 the Star. too, because Of bi,
ter's angel gone before.
There was a bsky born 10 be c broth
mnaHd-wnTfv ns was SO little
Hgver yet had spoken a word, he str
cd his tiny form out on his bed, and die
Again thsschtld dreamed Of the OF
altar. ard Of gthe company Of angels, an
rrain.ef people, and the rows efangels,
aheir besAnnig eyes ell turned upon
peoples faces.
Said hissister's angel to the leader,
Is nv brother Gomez
And he said, Not. that one, but AK
Aud the child behsld his brothers.
in,her arms he cried, d0h, sister, | am
Take .mei' and she turned and rsmilet
him. and the star was shining.
He grew 70 be a youngmaD, and "
sv atshisb books, whom an old servant c
him aad said
= vrhyenother IS no more. 4 bri
b~lessing.on her darling SON ?
Again atnight he saw the star,
that former company. Said his sist,
AL~laaHaw- "U H# -