Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-05-07

A GRILD's DREAM OF A STAR.
By cHARLEs DICKENS.

By CHARLEs DICKENS.
There was. once q child, and he
strolled about good deal and thought
of number OF things. He had sister,
who was child, too, and his constant
companion. These two were used to
wonder oil day long. They wondered
at the beauty of the flowers; they won
dered at the height and blueness of the
the sky; they wondered at the depth OF
the blne water; they wondered at the
goodness and power Of God, who made
the lovely world.
They used to say to one. another,
sometimes, supposing all the children
upon the 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 gambol dosn
the hillsides, are the children of the
water; and the smallest bright specks
playing hide and seek in the sky at
night must be the children ofkthe
stars; and they would all be
grieved to see their playmates,
the 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 il, standing hand in hand at the
window. Whoever saw it first, cried
out, nI 600 tho etarn And often they
cried out, both together, knowing so
well when it would rise and where. So
they grew to be such friends with IL,
that, before lying down in their beds,
they always looked out once again, 10
bid it good night; and when they we're
turning round to sleep they used to
say, "God bless the starl'
But while she was still very young,
oh, very, very young, the sister
dropped, and came to be SO weak that
she could no longer stand in the VIM
dow at night; and then the child
looked sadly out by himself, and when
he saw the star, turned round and said
20 the patient face on the bed, 81 see
the starI' and then a smile would come |
upon the face, and little weak voice |
used to say, "God bless my brother
and the starW
And so the time came--all too soonl
when the child looked out alone, and |
when there was no pale face on the
bed; and when there was little grave
among the graves not there before;
and when the star made long rays
down toward him, he saw it through
his silent tears.
Now, these rays were so bright, and
they seemed to make such shining
way from earth to heaven, that when
the child went to his solitary bed, he
dreamed that, lying where he was, he
saw train OF people taken up Rt
sparkling road by angels. And the Maf,
opening, showed him great woild of
light, where many more such angels
waited to receive them.
All these angels, who we're waiting,
turned 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 the avenues of light, and we're so
happy in their company, that lying in
his bed he wept for Joy.
But there were many angels who did |
not 60 with them, and among them
one ne knew. The patient face that
once had laid upon the bed was glori-
fed and radient, but his heart found
out his sister among all the host.
His sisters angel fingered near the
entrance Of the star, aud said to the
leader among those who had brought
the people hither:
sis my brother Gomez"
And he said ''no."
She was turning hopefully away,
when the child held out his arms, and
cried, 10, my sister, / am herel Take
mel" and then she turned her beaming |
9yes upon him, and it IVES night; and
the star was shining into the room max
ing long rays down towards him as he
Jaw it through his tears.
From this hour forth, the child
ooked out upon the star as the home
be was to go to, when his time should
come; and he thought that he did not
belong to the earth alone, but the star
zoo, because of his sisters angel gone
before. Il
There was a baby born to be q
brother to the child; and while he was
70 little that he never yet lad spoken .
zord, he stretched his tiny form upon ,
lis bed and died.
Again the child dreamed OF the open ,
tar, and Of the company of angels, .
md the train Of people, and the row Of !
lngels with their beaming eyes all
urned upon those peoples faces. I,
Said his sisters angel to the leader: ,
SIS my brother come ?" Il
And he said: mot that one but an.
ther." % L
As the child beheld his brothers :
nigel in her arms, he cried: 20, sister
am herei-take meI'' And she turned
nd smiled upon him, and the star was I
Inning. y "a 10
he grew to be young man, and was 9
usy at his study when an old servant
anne TO him and said ]
''Thy mother Ii no more. / bring 4
er blessing on her darling son." n