The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-07-20

ful. as 6isinterestsd, as devoted . son
Of the South, as any who has endured
the sgony of her subjugation.s
j. B. .KERSHAW.
Camden, S. c., June 28M 1870.
LIFE AND DEATH.
Beau.irul sketch by Charles Dickens.
There was once a child, and be
strolled about good deal, aud thought
ofa number of things. He had sister,
who was child too, and his. constant
companion. These two used to wander
all day long. They wondered at the
height and depth Of tho bright water {;
they wondered at tho beautiful. flowers !;
they wondered at the goodness and
power of God, who madc the lovely
world.
They used to say to one another some.
times, Suppose oil tho children on the
earth were to die, would the flowers aud
the water and tho sky be sorry I" They
believed they would be sorry. For, said
they, the buds are the children Of the
flowers, and the little playful streams
that gambol down the hillsides are the
children Of the water, and tho smallest
bright specks playing at hide and seek
in the sky oil night must surely be the
children of the stars; and they would
all be grieved to see their playmates,
the children of men, no more.
There was one clear star that used to
come out in the sky before tho rest, near
the church spires, about the graves. 1t
was larger and moro 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, "I see tho STAR" And Of
ten they cried out both together, know
ing so we'll 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 thoy were
turning round to sleep they would say
"God bless the star"
But whilo she was still very young,
oh, very, very young, the sister dropped,
and came to be 80 weak that she could
no longer stand in tho window at night !;
and then the child looked sadly out by
himself, and when he saw the star, turn
cd round to the patient, pale face on
the bed:
81 see the star ~ aud then a smile
would come upon his face, and little,
weak voice uied to say: "God bless my
brother and the starW
Aud so the time came all too soon,
J when the child looked out alone, and
when there was no face on tho bed aud
when there was little grave among the
graves, not there before; and when the
star made long rays towards him, as he
saw it through his tears.
Now, these rays were bright, and they
seemed to make such beautiful, shin
ing way from Garth to heaven that,
when the child went to his solitary bed,
he dreamed about the star and dreamed
that, lying whore ho 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
moro such angels waited to receive
them.
And these angels who were waiting
turned their boamiug eyes upon the
people who were carried up into the
star aud some came out from tho long
rows in which they stood aud fell upon
the peoples nccks and kissed them
tenderly, aud went away with them
down avenues of light, and were SO
happy in their company that, lying in
tho bed, no wept for joy.
But there were many angels who did
not go with them, and among them ono
he knew. The patient face that had
once lain upon tho bed was glorified and
radiant, but his heart found out bis
sister among all the host.
| His sisters angel fingered near the
entrance Of the star, and said to the
leader among those who had brought
the people thither--
els my brother come"
And ho said, "No."
She was turning hopefully away whcr
tho child stretched out his arms and
said >
ooh, sistor, am hero (! tako me ~
And then sho turned her beamiua
eyes upon him, and it was night; aut
the star was shining into the room
making long rays down toward him o.
he saw it through his tears.
| From that hour forth the child look OF
out upon the star as on. tho home h,
was to 60, when his time should come
and he thought he did not belong t,
earth alone, but to the star, too becaus
Of his sisters angel gone before.
There was baby born to be brothe
to the ,ehild and whilo he was so littl'
that he had never yet spoken word h
, stretched his tiny form out on the be'
! and died.
Again the child dreamed of tn