The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-09-06
Young Folks.
Christine's Dreams.
ny CLYDE,

uuSly StreetS vi tllc great Guy anu no
one had needed their wistful faces no
one had listened to their childish voices.
Now and then soma kind hearted moth
or had stroked Christine's sunny curls,
and said, "The child has q pretty
face" but not one penny gladdened
their little hearts.
That evening", rs they walked sor-
rowfuIly along the country road that
lie d to their cottage hcme, Franz said
"How sweetly the birds are singing,
Christinen
80, Franz, well may the happy birds
be singing, for they have all been fed,
while we poor birds have sung the
whole day long and have no Bread"
and the long pent-up tears flowed down
Christine's cheeks like rain.
"Do not be sorrowful, !" little one, said
her mother, as she bent over her low,
white bed for good.nigh kiss.
"Do not be sorrowful, little one," the
winds seemed to- repeat, as they rustled
softly through the trees that sheltered
the cottage roof.
All the voices of the night seemed TO
take it up, as they floated in at the at
tic window, with low, sweet melody.
And the melody more than the words,
comforted Christine; for no matter how
sad her heart might be, the slightest
breath of music could always touch it
to gladness, so passionately did the
child love the beautiful spirit that was
to crown her life with richest bless
ings.
1t was lovely summer night, and
the evening star, rising over the pur.
pie hills, shone down through the attic
window like a calm, sweet face. AS
Christine gazed with wonder at the star,
she remembered her mother had once
said that all the stars were worlds and
she thought that this star must be a
very beautiful world, 1t looked so large
and bright. "If that white cloud were
only boat" she said to herself, "that
would carry me over the blue sky to
the star I"
Strange to say, just as the curly head
began to rest very wearily on the dim
pied hand, and the eyelids to droop
very heavily over the blue eyes, Chris.
tine saw the snowy cloud floating to-.
wards her window.
AS it drew nearer, and nearer, she
saw it was shaped like boat, and that
it was guided by a beautiful being, so
beautiful that Christine felt sure it
must be a Dream.
AS the cloud boat touched the win
dow, the Dream fioated in and stosd by
the little bed
"Poor child, you are tired" murmur-
ed the Dream, wrapping a soft, white
mantle of sleep around Christine; and
then feeling of rest and peace fell over
the child, like charm.
Tenderly the Dream lifted her into
the waiting boat and they hoated away
| from the dark, shadowed earth.
"Oh, this Is splendid!" cried Chris
tine, as a breeze sprang up and bore
them swiftly along, while the earth
below vanished into speck and then
disappeared.
"Where shall we go? asked the
Dream.
81 would like TO go to the Evening
STAR" replied Christine. SIS it very
far away p"
"Oh, no, we will soon reach the
Evening Star"
AS the Dream spoke, Christine saw
that they were approaching a beautiful
land, which shone like silver island
in the blue sea of the sky.
"This is the star where Music holds
her court" continued the Dream, "at-
tended by all Sweet Melodies, who
learn of her their beautiful mission on
earth, for Melodies, like ministering
angels, are ever singing with the joy
Gus, signing with the sad-hearted, and
telling earth's children of q higher hap
pier life."
"Does Music ever love poor little chill
dren % asked Christine with sigh.
"Music loves all who love her." repli-
ed the Dream. "Even the poor may
have their lives made great and beauti-
Iul III tney love MUSIC"
81 am SO glad % exclaimed Christine,
"for love Music dearly"
"Christine, have you ever noticed
strange stiffness falling over the world
at the twilight hour ?" asked the
Dream.
81 have noticed it often," said Chris,
tine. "Tell me, dear Dream, Why is
it?"
81 have heard,' said the Dream,
speaking softly lest the breeze should
hear, "that this is the hour when the
winds love to steal away to this star,
and practice together their grand har-
monies and here, too, the breezes chat
over their morning and evening hymns.
1t has been whispered among the trees
that the lark learns, in this star, his
most charming carols, for he is often
seen to drop down from the sky in the
morning. Some babbling brook has
said that even rain drops tune their
crystal bells in Music's court.'
so, lam so glad we are going there ~
and Christine could say no more for
wonder, as they neared the shore.
1t was not strange that this star had
always shone with such a silvery light,
for 1t was silver world. Silver noun.
tains, silver valleys, silver rocks,
streams and trees gave the land a
strange unearthly beauty; for the star
was different from the glory of the
earth.
Christine wondered still more, as she
wandered with the beautiful Dream
over the fair fields, and by the clear
streams, whose waters rippled musically
over silver sands, and under trees
whose silver leaves were stirred with
twinkling murmurs. The flowers of
this land were very lovely, but all pure
white, as though they had grown and
bloomed in moonlight.
Most wonderful of all the flowers, the
streams, the trees. had yOices which