Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-11-08
A Child's Dream of a Star.

ter. who was a child too, and his con-
slant companion. These two used to
wonder all day long. They wondered
at the beauty of the flowers; they won
dered 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
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 the sky before
the rest, near the church spire, above
the graves. 1t was larger and 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
goodnight; and when they were turn
ing round to sleep, they used to say,
''God bless the starm
But 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 looked
sadly out by himself, and when he saw
patient pale face on the bed, 81 see
the start" and then a smile would come
used to say, God bless my brother and
the star!'
Aud 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 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 were so bright, and
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 a
train of people taken up that spark
ling 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
pooplo ,ybo wara oorriod nm into tho
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
in 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 glori-
fed 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:
sis my brother Gomez"
And he said mo"
She was turning hopefully away,
when the child stretched out his arms,
and cried, 80, sister, | am here! Take
mel" and then she turned her beaming
eyes upon him, and it was nighti and
the star was shining in the room, max
ing long rays down towards him as he
saw it 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 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
word, he stretched his tiny form out
on his bed, and died.
Again the child dreamed of the open
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.
Ga biS eistpP;s angel IN the leader.