Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-05-29
a galIa,a DrgalI q -.
BY CHARLES DIsKzNs.

: ~
e saare-
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
There was once q child, and he stroll
led about Eoo5l deal and thought !
i \ number of fhiugss He had q sister
. tVVhO was child TOO, aud his c0ustan
= com panfon. These two used to yvg7lgFs
all day long. They wondered az thl
beauty Of the flowers they E0ndersE
at the height and blusuess of the sky
they wondered az the depth Of the blu,
water; they wondered &C the goodness
and power Of God who made the lovely
world.
They used to say TO one another
sometimes, suppOsinE all the childreI
upon the earth were to die, would tht
flowers, and the water and the sky be
sorry ? They believed they would be
sorry. For, said they, the buds ara the
ch 4ldren OF the flowers, and the little
playful streams that gaTnboI down the
hIllsides, are the children of the water
and the smallest bright specks playing
at hide and seek in the sky all night,
4 must be the children of the stars; and
they would al De grieVed to see their
I playmates, the children of men no
1 more.
There was one clear, shining star, that
used to come out in the sky before the
/ rest, near the church spiFe, above the
graves. Is was larger and more beau
]
and every night they watched for it,
standing haEa0 in hand at the window.
I Whoever saw it first, cried out, Il see
the starli And often they cried out
both together, knowing SO we'll when iG
would rise and where. So they grew 20
be such friends with II, that, before ly-
ing down in their beds, they always
looked out once agRiu, to bid il good
night; and when they turned round 10
sleep they used TO say, t'God bless the
stars ~
But while she was still very young,
oh, very, very young, the sister droop-
ed, and came TO be SO weak that she
could no longer stand At the window H6
night and then the child looked sadly
cut BY himself, and when he saw the
star, turned round and said 70 the pa
tieut pale fiics on the bed, 81 see the
upon the face, and little " eak voice
used TO say, 'sGOd bless my brother and
the star ~
and 50 the time came-al1 too soon I
when The child looked out alone, and
when there WAS no pale face on the bed;
and when there was a little grave
among the graves, not there before
and when the star made long rays down
toward him, as he saw it t1rough his
silent tears.
N,,yv, these rays. were so bright, and
they seemed to make sueh shfuI1R
way froIn earth to heaven, that when
the child went to his solitary bed, he
dreamed that, lying where he was, he
saw a train OF people taken up that
sparkling road by angels, And the
star, opening, showed him q great world
of light, where maly more angels wait
ed to receive them.
All these angels who were waiting,
turned their baaning 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
tenderly, and went away with them
down avenues of light, and were SO
happy in their company that lying on
his bed he wept for joy.
But there were many angels who did
not go with them, and among them one
he knew. The patient facs that once
had laid upon the bed was glOrIfied and
radient, but his heart found out his sis
ter among all the host.
HIS sisters angel fingered near the
entrance Ofthe star, and said to the lead
or among those who had brought the
people hither.
s'Is my brother come ~
And ne said 1'nO.o
She was turning hopefully away
when the child stretched out his arms,
and cried, 80, my sister, I am here
Take me ~ and then she turned her,
beaming eyes upon him, and l5 was
night; and the star was shining into
the room making long rays down to-
wards him as he saw It through his
tears,
From that hour forth, the child look
ed out upon the star as the home he
was to 20 to, when his time should
come; and he thought that he did not
belung to The earth alone, but the star
too, because of his sisters angel gone
before. -
There was a baby born to be a broth
u n Hrra m
little that never yet had spoken q word,
he stretched his tiny form upon his bed
Again the child dreamed OF the open
star, and the company of angels, aud
the train Of people, and the row of an
gels with their beaming eyes all turned
upon those peoples faces.
Said his sisters angel to the leader
stIs my brother come ~
And he said: "Not that one but an
other"
As the child beheId his brothers an
gel in her arms, he cried; so, sister,
/ am here !-take me !" And she turn-
ed and smiled upon him, and the star
was shining.
He grew TO be young man, and was
busy at his book when an old servant
came to him and said
''Thy mother is no moro. I bring her
blessing on her darling SON."
Again at night he saw the star, and
all the fOrmeE Company.
Said his sisters angel TO the leader
els my brother come ?''
And he said, "Thy Mother ~
And a mighty cry of joy went forth
through all the star, because The moth
er was re-unlled to her two children.
And he stretched out his arms and
cried, go, mother, sister and brother, 1
am here take me ~ and they an
swered him, "NOt yet," and the star
was shining.
He grew to be a man, whose hair was
turning gray, and he was sitting in his
char by the fireside, heavy with grief,
and with his face DedeWed with tears
when the star opened Ouce again.
SAID his sisters angel to the leader:
t'Is my brother come ?"
Aud he said, May, but his maiden
daughter"
And The star was shining.
Thus the child came TO be an old man
and his once smooth face vas wTinkled,
and his steps were slow and feeble, ana
his back was bent. And one night as
he Iav upon his bed, his children stand-
| ing round, he cried, as long ago.
They whispered to one another-''ETe
And he said, CT am. My age is fall
/ ling frOUn me like a garment, and
| move towards the star as child. And,
! o, my Fatherl now I thank thee that it
has 50 often opened TO receive those
/ dear ones who await me ~
And the star was shining-and 1t
/ shines upon his grave,
/ ---a-4---
A PLACE FoR PRAYER.-'Where do
4 you find place to pray int" was ask
I ef of a rliegEIa sailor on board q Wh0I~