The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-10

the tree branches growing and the grass
springing up. Day is the life OF creatures,
but night is the life of things. When one
is not accustomed to this it fills one WIN
fear. Therefore our demoiselle was all OF
a culver and chung to me closely at the
slightest noise.
At one time a long melancholy cry arose
from the pond that sparkled below US ana
came rolling upward in our ears. AT tlie
same instant beautiful shooting star
glided over our heads in the same direction,
as ii the lamentation we heard were pear
ing flash OF light with it.
''What is that ?" asked Stephanette. IN
whisper.
"A soul entering paradise. mistress" an
swered /, making the sign of the cross.
She made the same sign, and. Tor 4 mo-
ment, gazed meditatIvely into the heavens.
Then she said to me:
rs it true, shepherd, that you people are
maIiciansp
Not In the least. our demoiselle. But
here we live much nearer the stars than the
people of the plain. and know better what
is taking place among the sparkling ilshVs
of heaven"
She was still gazing upward, resting her
head against one of her hands. ana
wrapped in the sheepskin like little heay-
emily shepherd.
"Ah. how beautiful they arep' cried she.
i never saw so many of them before. do
you know their names, shepherd?'
QUAINT ASTRONOMY.
Yes, indeed, mistress! Listen. Right
above us IS Saint Jacques highway. II
goes from France straight into Spain. IL
was Saint Jacques de Calico who traced IL
to show his road TO the brave Charlemagne
when he was making war upon the Sara
Gems Further away you have the Car OF
Souls, with its four resplendent aXle-trees.
The three STARS IN front are the three horses,
ana That tiny one almost against the thlr9
is the car-driver. DO you see all around
that shower of failing stars? They are the
souls the good God does not want in heaven.
-" A little lower is the Hayraek Of the
Three Kings. The stars forming it serve as
our clock. have only to glance at .hem to
know That II Is now after midnight. a 1T
tie lower yet, still looking toward the south,
SHINES Jean de Milan, the torch Of the stars.
Regarding that star, this is what the shep-
herds relate: 1t appears that one night
Jean de Milan, with the Three Kings and
the Ponclniere, were invited to the wedding
OF star, one Of their friends. The Pom
started, they say, the first Of all and took
the high road. Look at her up there away
in the midst of the heavens.
" The Three Kings went by lower road
and overlook her, but lazy Jean de Milan,
who has slept too late, was left behind, and
In order to stop them. in his fury he threw
his stick at them. That is why the Three
Kings are also called Jean de Milan's Stick
But the most beautiful of all the stars
mistress, is ours-the Shepherds Star-that
lights us at dawn when we drive forth our
fl0eks, and also in the evening when we
bring them back. We have given it another
-Maguelonne-the beautiful Mague-
Tonne, who runs after Pierre de Provence
and marrles him every seven years"
What, shepherd Are there then mar
riageS among the stars?"
" Yes, indeed, mistressW
And, as l was striving to explain to her
what those marriages were, | felt some
thing cool and soft weigh lightly upon my
shoulder. 1t was her head, heavy with
sleep, that was leaning against me, with 4
pretty rustling of ribbons, lace and wavy
hair. She remained thus without stirring
until the moment when the stars OF heaven
paled. eifaced by the dawning day.
As for me, | beheld her sleeping, some
what troubled. but fully protected by the
bright night that has never given me other
than pure thoughts. Around US the stars
continued their silent march as docile as
vast flock, and at times l imagined that one
of those stars-the prettiest and most
brilliant of them all-havng lost its way,
had come to me and placed its head upon
my shoulder that it smight slumber in
peace. ALPHoNsE DAUDET.