The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-07-13
Life and Death,
BEAUTIFUL SKETCH BY cnAs. DICKENS

ed about good deal, and thought of
4 number of things. He has sister,
who was child too, and his constant !
These two used to won
der all day long. They wondered at
the beauty of flowers; they wondered
at the height and depth of the bright
water; they wondered at the goodness
and power of God, who made the love-
ly world.
They used to say to one another
Surprising Ill the children
on the earth We're to die, would the
flowers and the water and the sky be
sorry % They believed they would be
sorry. For, say they, the buds are the
children of the flowers, and the little
playful streams that galnbol down the
hillsides are the children Of the waters;
and the smallest bright specks playing
at hide and seek III the sky all night,
must surely De u nc children children OF the
stars; and they would he all grove" !
to see their playmates, the children OF
men, 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, 81 see the star J"
And often they cried out both together,
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 looked out once
again to bid it good night; and when
they were turning round to sleep they
would say, "God bless the start"
But while she was still very young,
oh, very, very young, the sister droop-
ed. and came TO be so weak that she
could 10 longer stand in the widow at
night and hen the child looked sad
ly out by hinself, and when he saw
the star, turned ronnd to the patient,
pale face on the bed: 81 see the star!'
and then IL 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 looked out alone, and
when there was no face on the bed
and when there It'll was a lie grave
among the graves, not there before
and when the star made long rays
down towards him, as he saw through
his tears.
Now, these rays weIe bright and they
seemed to make such beautiful, shin.
ing way from earth to Heaven thai
when the child went to his solitary bee
he dreamed about the star; and dream
ed that, lying where he was, he saw ;
train of people taken up that shining
road by angels. And the star opening
showed him a great world of light
where many more such angels waite'
to receive them.
And these angels, who were waitin!
) turned their beanling eyes upon the PEG
n pie who were carried up into the star
: and some came out from the long row
d in which they stood and fell upon TN
, peoples necks and kissed them tender
- ~, and went away with them dow
~ avenues of light, and were so happy l
. their company that, lying in the bee
IL he wept for joy.
a But there were many angels VIII
0f did not go with them, and anon
lie them one he knew. The patient fac
le that had once lain upon the bed wa
90 elorified and radiant, but his hea
found out his sister among all the hos
u His sisters angel fingered near Il
t'i entrance of the star, and said to I'll
ne leader among those who had broug
u the people thither-
n, as my brother come 2"
oy And he said, "NO."
IN She was turning hopefully aw;
f. when the child stretched out her an
e. and said -,
AZ "Oh, sister, am here! Take me y
~ And then she turned her BEAM
u u. ewes upon him, and it was might; a
dl- the star was shining into his roo
he making long rays down toward him
ed he saw it through his tear.
ror From that hour forth the child loo
nd ed out upon the star as Oh the home
di- was TO 90 to when his time should cor
os and he thought he did not belong
- earth alone, but to the star, too,
~ cause of his sisters angel gone befo
,aii There was a baby born to q brot
lea, to the child and while he was so
ind file that he had never yet spoken
- word, he stretched his tiny form
the on the bed and died.
ner Again the child dreamed of the OPP
ilet ed star, and of the company OF ang
clio and the train of people; and all
~. rows of angels with their beaming
'oh all turned upon those peoples faces
pom Said his sisters angel to the leat
nad SIS my brother Gomez"
the And he said, s'Not that one,
lsh- another"
ssa- AS the child beheld his brothers
any gel in her arms, he cried, "Oh. slste
bief am here! Take me!'' And she tur
;on- and smiled upon him, and the star
oost shining.
lo US: He grew to be young man, anu
GU busy at his book when an old ser'
the came to him and said:
also "Thy mother is no more. D
The her blessing on her darling son."
exc Again at night he saw the star,
all that former company Sald
sisters angel to the leader:
the "Is my brother Gomez"
can And he said: "Thy mother"
or at A mighty cry of joy went !
,oble through all the stars because
einr. mother was reunited to her two
we dren. And he stretched out his
eem. and cried: ''Oh, mother, sister,
.l,in9 brother, am here Take me3'
he q they answered: s'Not yet" and
orer, star was shining.
/ the He grew to be man whose nan
nine. turning gray, and he was sitting l
.ls OF chair by the fireside, heavy with
; the and with his face believed with I
nre- when the star opened once again.