Year: 1860

There was once child, and he stroled
about good deal and thought of a mum
Der Of things He had IL sister. who was
child too, aud his constant companion.-
These two used to wonder all day ong
They wondered at the beauty Of the h3w-
ers: 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 the power of God, who
made the lovely world.


They used to say to one another some
times, Supposing all the children on earth
were to die, would the flowers and the wa.
ter 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 gamboI down
the hillsiies. are the children of the water :;
and the brightest smal! specks PLAYING at
hide and seek in the sky all night, must
surely he the children Of the stars; and
they would all be gtieve1 to see their play.
mates. the children OF men, no more.


There was one clear shining star that
used to come ou; 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 ev-
cry night they watched for it, standing
hand in hand at the window. Whoever
saw it first cried out, Il see the star I"
And often they cried out both together.
knowing 50 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 good night; aud while they were turning
round to sleep, they would say, God
bless the star


But while she was still very young-oh
very, very young-the sister dropped, and
came to be so weak that she couli no
longer stand in the window at night; and
then tho child looked sadly out by himself
and when he saw the star, turned round
and said to the patient pale face on the
bed, " | see TIE star!' aud then smile
would come upon the face, and little
weak voice, " God bless my brother and the
star


And so the time came ali to 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 toward him, as he saw il through
his tears.


Now, these rays were so bright, and
they seemed to make such shining wsy
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 read by angels. And the
star, opening. showed him a great world
OF light, where many more such angels
waited % receive them.


All these angels, who were waiting
turned their beamng eyes upon the peo-
pie who were carried up into the star and
some came out from the long rows in
which they stood, aud fell upon the peo-
Pile 5 necks and kissed them tcnderly, and
went away with them down avenues of
light, and we're so happy in their company
that lying in his bed, he wept for Joy.


But, there were mauy angels who did
not go with them, and among them one he
knew. The patient fac that once had
laid upon the bed was gloriGed and radl,
ant, but his heart found out his sister
among all the host.


His sisters angel fingered near the en-
trance of the star, and said to the leader
among those who had brought the people
thither-


"Is my brother come? y
And he said No."


She was turning hopefully away, when
the child stretched ou; his arms aud cried
90, sister, am here Take me - and
then she turned her beaming eyes upon
him. and it was night aud the star was
shining into his room, making long RAYS
down toward him AS he saw il through his
tears.


From that hour forth, the child looked
ou. upon the star as on the home he was
to 20 to. when his time should come, and
be 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 n brother
to the child aud 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 opened
star, and Of the comnany of angels, and
the train of people, and the rows of an
gels with their beaming eyes all turned
upon those peoples faces.


Said his sisters angel to the leader


ia my brother com" -


And he said, " Not that one, but anoth-
err


As the child beheld his brothers angel
| in her arms, he cried, 30. sister, am
here! Take me !" And she turned and
smiled upon him, and the star was shin
ing.


He grew to be n young man, and was
busy at hi. books, wheL ~ old servant
came to him aud said