The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-12-23
A Child's Dream of a Star.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

| 4nere was once cnllu, ana N
strolled about a great deal, and though
ola number ofthings. He had a sister
who was child too, and his constan
companion. These two used to wonde
all day long. They wondered at tn,
beauty of the flowers; they wondered
at the height and blueness of the sky
they wondered at the depth of the
| bright water they wondered at the
goodness and the power of God whC
made the lovely world.
They used to say to one another
sometimes. Surprising all the children
upon 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
children of the flowers, and the little
playful streams that gambol down the
hillsides 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-
full, 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, 81 see
the star" 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 always
looked out once again to bid it good
night; and when they were turning
round to sleep, they used to say, God
bless the star"
But while she was still very young,
oh, very, very young, the sister droop-
ed, and came to be so weak that she
could no longer stand in the window at
night; and then the child looked sadly
out by himself, and when he saw the
star, turned round and said to the pa
tient pale face on the bed, II see the
starW and then a smile would come up
on the face, and little weak voice used
to say, Good bless my brother and the
star |"
And so the time, all too soon, when
the child looked out alone, and when
there was no face on the bed and when
there was little grave among the
graves, not there before and when the
star made long rays down toward him,
as he saw it through his tears.
Now these rays were so bright, and
they seemed to make such shining way
from earth to heaven, that when the
child went to his solitary bed, he dream
ed about the star and dreamed that
lying where he was, he saw train of
people taken up that sparkling road by
angels. And the star opening, showed
him great world of light, where many
more such angels waited to receive
them.
All these angels who were waiting,
turned their beaming eyes upon the
people who were carried up into the
star; and some came out from the
long rows in which they stood, and fell
upon the peoples necks, and kissed
them tenderly, and went away with
them down avenues.of light, and were
so happy in their company, that, lying
on his bed, he wept for joy.
But there were many angels who did
not go with them, and among them one
he knew. The patient face that once
had lain upon the bed was glorifed and
radiant, but his heart found out his sis
ter 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-
us my brother come? ?"
| And he said 'No."
She was turning hopefully away when
the child stretched out his arms, and
cried, 80 sister, l am here Take mel"
and then she turned her beaming eyes
upon him, and it was night and the
star was shining into the room, making
long rays down toward him, as he saw 1t
through his tears.
From that hour forth the child looked
out upon the star as on the home he
was to go to, when his time should come f;
and he thought that he did not belong
| to the earth alone, but to the star, too,
because of his sisters angel gone before.
There was baby born to be broth
er to the child and while he was so
little that he never yet had spoken a
word, he stretched his tiny form out on
his bed. and died.
Again the child dreamed of the opened
star, and of the company Of angels, and
the train of people, and the rows OF
angels with their beaming eyes all turned
upon those peoples faces.
Said his sisters angel TO the leader
"Is my brother come 2"
And he said, 'Not that one, but an
other"
As the child beheld his brothers an
gel in her arms, he cried, go sister, |
am here Take mel" And she turned
and smiled upon him, and the star was
shining.
He grew to be young man, and was
busy at his books when an old servant
came to him and said
'sThy mother is no more. / bring her
blessing on her darling son !"
Again that night he saw the star, and
all that former company. Said his SIS
ters angel to the leader
us my brother come ?"
And he said, ''Thy mother"
A mighty cry of joy went forth
through all the star, because the mother
was reunited to her two children. And
he stretched out his arms and cried,
go mother, sister, and brother, l am
herel Take me !" And they answered
him, SHOT yet" and the star was
shining. !.
He grew to be man, whose hair
was turning gray, and be was sitting y