The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-09-22
A Ohild's Dream of a Star.

There was once child, and he strolled
about a good deal, and thought of a
number of things. He had a sister, who
was child too, and his constant COM
panion These two used to wonder all
day long. They wondered at the beauty
of the flowers; they wondered at the
depth of the bright water; they Won
dered ut the goodness and the power of
God who made the lovely world.
They used to say to one another,
sometimes, suppOsing all the children
upOn earth We're to die, would the flow
ers, and the water, and the SKY, be sorry?
They believed they would he sorry. For,
said they, the buds are the children of
the flowers, and the little playful streams
that gambOl down the hill-sides are the
children of the water; and the smallest
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 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 beauti-
/ ful, they Thought, than all the others,
and every night they watched for it,
standing hand in hand at a window,
/ Whoever saw it first cried out, ~ see the
starr' And often they cried out botl
I together, knowing so well when il
! would rise, and where. SOthey grew tC
] be such friends with it, that, before lying
down i'm their beds, they always looked
out once again, to bid il goodnight; anC
when they were turning round to sleep
hthey used to say, "GOd bless the star y
/ But while she was still very young, oil
very, very young, the sister dropped, anC
came to be so weak that she could nC
longer stand in the window at night; ant
| then the child looked sadly out by him
self, and when he saw the star, turned
round and said to the patient, pale fac,
on the bed, II see the starr' and then 1
smile would come upon the face, and ;
little weak voice used to say, "GOd bles
my brother and the star u'
And 50 the time came, all too soon
+ when the child looked out alone, ant
= when there was no face on the bed; an,
: when there was little grave among tn
I graves, not there before; and when tn
l star made long rays down toward hin
: as he saw it through his tears.
e Now, these rays were so bright, an
e they seemed to make such shining wa
), from earth to Heaven, that when Il
= child went to his solitary bed,
O dreamed about the star; and dream,
: that, lying where he was, he saw
e train of people taken up that sparklil
: road by angels. And the star, Openin
d showed him great world of light, whe
: many more such angels waited to recei
d them.
r All these angels, who were waitin
o turned their beaming eyes upon {
Il people who were carried up into the SITS
e and some came out from the long ROY
5 i'm which they stood, and fell upon Il
= peoples necks and kissed them tenderl
II and went away with them down avenu
p. of light, and Were so happy in tho
l. company, that lying i'm his bed he we
4 for joy.
= But, there Were many angels who d
r. not go with them, and among them Ol
l. he knew. The patient face that on
J. had laid upon the bed was glOritied al
r radiant, but his heart found out i
g sister among all the host.
he His sister angel fingered near t
= entrance of the star, and said to [
n leader among those who had brought t
X people thither:
* as my brother come 81
:, And he said "No."
i, She was turning hopefully away, VIII
y the child stretched out his arms, a
Ia cried, 80, sister, am here! Take mt
Is and then she turned her beaming ey
Sc upon him, and it was night; and the 5
e was shining into the room, making 10
ne rays down towards him as he saw
b. through his tears.
From that hour forth, the child lOol
out upon the star as on the home he V
he to go to, when his time should cor
IL and he thought that he did not belc
IT. to the earth alone, but to the star, I
nd because of his sisters angel gone befC
"a There was baby born to be brot
or to the child; and while he was so Iii
nj that he never yet had spoken word,
he stretched his tiny form out on his i
ns and died.
{ a Again the child dreamed of the one
lts star, and of the company of angels, ;
ay the train of people, and the rows
est angels with their beaming ewes
ws turned upon those peoples faces.
ty, said his sisters angel to the leader
is as my brother eome?r
ib- And lie said, mot that one, but
II other"
OF As the child beheld his brothers al
in her arms, he cried, 80, sister,
here ~ And she turned and sm
the upon him, and the star was shining.
He grew to be young man, and