The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-10-11
Anaersott gntelligenesr.
4 CHILD,s DREAM OF A STAR.
From "The Reprinted Pieces o, Charles
Dickens.


From "The Reprinted Pieces" o, Charles
Dickens.
8 Do you want to try an experiment
to.day-a helpful, sincere and gentle
experiment.
All right. If you have q son or a
daughter; if you have 8 brother or sister
if you have neither, take up this paper
and read alond Dickens matchless prose.
poem, which is printed herewith.
Ifyou have q home gather your family
and friends about you and read it to them.
IF you have no home get sympathetic
friend or so in your bachelors room this
evening and read it to them. Wherever
you read and to whomsoever, it will be the
best sermon either you or they will hear
on this blessed day!
There was once child, and he strolled
about good deaL and thought of q
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 ct the
height and blueneas Of the sky; they.
wondered at the depth of the bright wa:
ter; they wondered at tho 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 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 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 tbs sky before the
rest, near the church spire, above the
graves. Itwas larger and more beautiful,
they thought, than all the others, and
every night.they watched for it, standing
hand in hand at q window. Whoever
saw it irst cried out, 81 see the star"
And often they cried out both together
knowing go well when it would rise, and
where. So they grew to be such friends
with .it, that, before.lyiDg down in their
beds, they always looked out once again,
to bid it good night; and when they we're
turning round to sleep, they used to say,
a.God bless the star r.
Bnt while she was still. very young, oh,
very, very young, the sister dropped, and
came to be so very weak that she could
no longer stand In the window at night /;
and then the child looking sadly out by
himself, and when he saw the star, turn
ed round and said to the patient pale
face on the bed, ,."I see the starp and
then a. smile would come upon the face,
and a little weak voice used to bay,
aGod bless my brother and the star"
And so the time came, all too soon !
when the child looked out alone, and
.whet, there was no face on the bed; and
when there was 8 little grave among the
graves, not there before, and when the
star made long rays down towards him,
as he saw it through his tears
Now, these rays we're so bright and
they seemed to make such q 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, be 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 those angels, who were waiting,
turned their heaming eyes upon the peo.
pie 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 go happy in their
company thatlyingin: his bed he wept for
Joy. ...s5 & s.; -
;5$ But. there were many angels who did
snotgo:w with them, and among them one
he knew. The patient face that once
he'd lain upon the bed was 5glori6ed 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
.thiiher:
s..Is my brother come 2"
Z And he said .No.
She vas turning hopefully away #beu
the child stretched ont his arms, and
cried, 80, sister, I am here Take me |!
and then she turned her beamiDg eyes
upon him, andiit was night; and the star
was shining in the room, making long rays
down towards him as he saw it through
his tears. /: I. Z.
b From that hour forth, the child looked
out upon star as on the home be was to
go to, when bis time should come; and
he thought that he did not belong to the
earth alone, but 10 the star, too, because
of his sisters angel gone before.
There was q baby born to be q brother
to the child; and while he was so little
that he never yet had spoken q word, be
stretched his tiny form out on his bed,
and died.
Again the child dreamed of the open
star, and ofthe company of angels, and
train of people, and the rows Of angels
with their beamiDg eyes all turned upon
those peoples faces.
n Said his sisters angel to the leader !:
'..Is my brother come 2"
And he said. "Not that one but anoth
err.
AS the child beheld his brothers. sDgel
in her, arms he cried, o sister, / sm
.here! Take me p And she turned
and smiled upon him, and the star was
shining.
He grew to be young man, and vas
busy at his books when an old servant
came to him and said:
"Thy mother is no more. I bring her
blessing on her darling son! !"
Again at night he saw the stars, and
all that former company. Said his sis.
ter's angel to the leader:
"Is my brother come 2"
And be said "Tby mother 1"
a mighty cry Of JOY went forth
through all the stars, because the mother
Was re united to her two children. And
he stretched out his arms and cried,
90, mother, sister and brother, I am
here! Take mel" And they answered
him, Not yet" and the star was shining.
He grew to be man,. whose hair was
turning gray, and he was sitting in his