Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-11-03
A cHILDs DREAM OF A STAR.
From the Reprinted Pieces" of Charles
Dickens.

Do you want to try an experiment
today-al helpful, sincere and gentle
experiment? y y
All right. If you have son or a
daughter; if you have a brother or
sister; ifyou have neither, take up
this paper and read aloud Dickens
matchless prose-poem, which is print
ed herewith.
If you have a home, gather your
family and friends about you and
read it to them. II 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 whomever, it will be
the best sermon either you or they
will hear on this blessed day! :
There was once a child, and he
strolled about good deal and thought
of a number of things. He had a
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 flow
ers; they wondered at the depth of
the water; they wondered at the good
ness and the power of God, who made
the lovely world. M M ui sfa'
They used to say to one another
sometimes, surprising all the children
upon earth were to die, would the
flowers, and the earth and the sky
be sorry? They believed they
would be sorry. For, said they,
the buds are the children of the flow
ers, 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 must surely
be the children ofthe stars and they
would all be grieved to see their
playmates, the children of men, no
more. III. t.s.
There was one clear, shining star
that used to come out in the sky be-
fore 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 it first cried out, 81 see the start"
And often they cried out both togeth-
err 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 look
ed out once again, to bid it good
night; and when they were turning
round to sleep, they used to say, "God
bless the starn' A
But, while she was still very
young, oh very, very young, the sis
ter dropped, and came to be so very
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 patient, pale face on
the bed, 81 see the start" and then q
smile would come upon the face, and
a little weak voice used to say, "God
bless my brother and the star!7
And SO the time came, all too soon
when the child looked out alone, and
when there was no face on the bed
and when there was a little grave
among the graves, not there before
and when the star made long rays
down towards him, as he saw il
through his tears.
Now, these rays were so bright ,anG
they seemed to make such a shining
way from earth to heaven, that wher
the child went to his solitary bed hi
dreamed that, lying where he was,h
saw train of people taken up tina
sparkling road by angels. And TIT
star, opening, showed him a grea
world of light, where many more an
gels waited to receive them.
All those angels who were waiting
turned their beaming eyes upon thu
people who were carried up into tn,
star; and some came out from tn,
long rows in which they stood ant
fell upon the peoples necks and kiss
ed them tenderly, and went away
with them down avenues of light
and weres so happy in their compan!
that lying in his bed he wept for joy
But, there were many angels VIII,
did not go with them, and anon.
them one he knew. The patient fac
that once had lain upon the bed wa
glorified and radiant, but his hear