Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-07-25
NO. 175.
LIFE AND DEATH.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

There was once child and he strolled
| about a good deal, and thought of num-
Der of things. He had a sister who was
child too, and his constant companion.
These too used to wander all day long.
They wondered at the beauty of flowers
they wondered at the heighth and 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 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 childen
that gambol down the hillside are the
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 greved
to see their playmates, the children of
man, no more.
There was one clear star that used to
come out in the sky before the rest,
near the church spire, about 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, II see the start and often
they cried out both to gather knowing so
well when it would rise, and where. So
they grew to be such friends with it that
before lying down in their beds they look
ed out once again to bid it good night; and
when they were turned round to sleep they
would say, God bless the star!'
! But while she was still very young, oh,
very, very, Young, the sister dropped, and
came to be so weak that she could no long
er stand in the window at night and tfien
the child looked sadly out by himself and
when he saw the star, turned round to the
patient, pale face on the bed: 81 see the
star, +" and then smile would come upon
his face, and little, weak voice used to
say, "God bless my brother and the starr
And so the time came all too soon, when
the child locked cut alofie, and When there
was a little grave among the graves not
there before; and when the star made long
rays down towards him, he saw it through
his tears.
Now, these rays were bright, and they
seemed to make such q beautiful, shining
way from earth to heaven that when the
child went to his solitary bed, he dreamed
about the star; and dreamed that lying
where he was, he saw train OF people
taken up that shining road by angels. And
the star opening, showed him great world
of light, where many more such angels
waited to receive them.
And these angels who were waiting turn
ed their beaming eyes upon the people who
were carried up into their star and some
came out from the long rows in which they
stood and fell uponthe 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 the
bed, he wept for joy.
But there were many angels who did
not go with them, among one he knew.
The patient face that had once lain upon
the same bed was glorified and radiant but
his 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
among those who had brought the people
thither-
'Is my brother come ?"
And he said, no"
She was turning hopefully away when
the child stretched out his arms and said
ooh, sister, am here! Take me-"
And then she turned her beaming eyes
upon him, and it was night; and the star
was shining into his room, making long
rays down toward him as he saw it through
his tears.
From that hour forth the child looked
out upon the star as on the home he was
to 90 to, when his time should come, and
he thought he did not belong to earth alone.
but to the star, too, because of his sisters
angel gone before.
There was baby born to be a brother
to the child and while he was SO little
that he had never yet spoken word, he
stretched his tiny form out on the bed and
died.
Again the child dreamed of the opened
star, and of the company of angels, and
the train of people; and all the rows OF
angels with their beaming eyes all turned
upon those peoples faces.
Said his sisters angel to the leader
'Is my brother Gomez"
And he said, ''Not that one but another.
AS the child beheld his brothers angel
in her arms, he cried, "Oh, sister, l am
here Take men And she turned and
smiled upon him, and the star was shin
ing.
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 more. i bring her
blessing to her darling son."
Again at night he saw the star, and all
that former company. Said his sisters
angel to the leader
lis my brother come ?"
And he said: Thy mother"
A mighty cry of joy Went forth through
all the stars because the mother was reu-
nited 10 her two children. And he stretch
ed out his arms and cried! ''Oh mother.
sister and brother. | am here Take me"
And they answered, "Not yet" and the
stars were shining"
He grew to be man whose hair was
turning gray, and he was sitting in his
chair by the fireside, heavy with grief,
and with his face bedewed with tears.
when the star opened once again.
Said his sisters angel to the leader, rs
my brother Gomez" -
And he said, Nay, but his maiden
daughter ,,s
And the man who had been child saw
his daughter newly lost to him. celestial
creature among those three and he saia,
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