Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-12-24
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

BY CHARLES DICKENS
IYHERE was once a child, and he
- strolled about a good deal, and
ZIP thought of a number of things.
| I'll He had sister, who was a child,
'" too, and his constant companion.
These two used to wonder all day long.
They wondered at the 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 power of
God who made the lovely world.
They used to say to one another,
sometimes, Surprising all the children
upon the earth We're 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 lit
tie playful streams that gambol down
the hillsides are the children of the
waters; and the smallest bright specks
playing at hide-and-scek in the SKY all
night, must surely be the children of
the stars; and they would all be grieyed
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 beautiful they thought, than
all the others, and every night they
watched for it. standing hand in hand at
the window. Whoever saw il first. cried
out Il see the start 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 goodnight; aud when they were
turning round to sleep, they used to say,
God bless the star!
But while she was still very young,
| Q, very, very young, the sister dropped.
and came to be 50 weak that she could
no longer stand in the window at night:
and then the child looked sadly ont by
himself and when he saw the star.
| turned round and said to the patient.
pale face on the bed, II see the start
and then smile would come upon the
face, and a little weak voice used to saw
God bless my brother and the STAR
And so the time came, all too soonl
when the child looked out alone, and
when there was no face on the bed and
when there was IA 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 a shining
way from earth to heaven, that when the
child went to his solitary bed he dreamed
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 a
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 nccks, and kissed them ten
derby. and went away with them down
avenues of light and were SO happy in
their company, that lying in his bed he
wept for JOY.
But there were many angels who did
not 90 with them, and among them was
one he knew The patient face that
once had lain upon the bed was glorifed
and radiant, but his heart found out his
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,
is my brother Gomez?
And he said mo.
She was turning hopefully ay,when
the child stretched out his arms, and
cried
30 sister. | am here! Take mer' 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 il 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;
and he thought that he did not belong
to the earth alone, but to the star, too,
because Of his sister angel gone before.
There was a baby born to be broth
er to the child; and while he was so
little that he never vet had spoken
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 Gomez
Aud he said. Not that one but an
other.
As the child beheld his brother
angel in her arms, he cried,
20 sister. am herei Take met And
she turned aud 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,
Thy mother is no more bring her
blessing ON her darling SOM
Again at night he saw the star. and
ali that former company.
| Said his sisters Angel to the leader
@Is my brother COME
Mud he said.
Thy mother?'
A mighty cry Of JOY went forth
through all the stars, because the moth
er was reunited to her two children.
And he stretched cut his arms and cried,
% mother, sister, brother | am here
Take me-! And they answered him,
Not vet. And the star was shining
He grew &. Sc man whose hair was
turning gray, and he was sitting in his
chair 81 the freside, heavy with grief
and with his face believed with tears
when TIE star opened once again.
Said his sisters angel to the leader
is my brother Gomez
And he said. Nay, but his maiden
daughter.
Il And the sgan whu hali teen ths chit