Year: 1868

There was once a child, and he stroll
led about good deal, land thought of a
number of things. He had sister,
who was child too, and his constant
companion. These two used to won
der all day long. They wondered at
the beauty of the flowers; they won
dered at the height and blueDess 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 the earth were to die. would the
flowers, and the water, and the sky, be
sorryl They believed they would be
sorry. For, said they, the buds are
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, and children of men
no more.


There was clear shining star that
used to come out on the sky before the
rest near the church spire, above the
graves. 1t was larger and more beau
tiful, they thought, than all the others,
and every night they watched for it,
standing hand in hand at window.
Whoever saw it first, cried out 81 see
the starl" 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 good
night; and when they were turning
round to sleep, they used to 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 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 star %
and then smile would come upon the
face, and a,httle weak voice used to
say, "God bless my brother and the
starw


And so the time came all TO 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
they seemed to make spch ginning
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 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 these angels, who were waiting,
turned their beaming 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 tender
ly, and went away with them down aven-
ues of light, and were SO happy in their
company, that lyipgin hia 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 laid upon the bed was glorifi-
ed and radiant, but his heart found out
his sister among all the hnst,


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 "No."


| She was turning hopefully away, W hen
the child stretched out his arms, and
cried 30, sister, | am here Take me p'
and then she turned her beaming eyes
upon him, and it was night; and the
star was shining into the room, making
long rays down towards him as he saw
it through his tears.


From that hour forth, the child
looked gut upon the star as On the home
he was to 60 to, when his time should
come; and he thought that he did not
belong to earth alone, but to the star,
too, because of his sisters angel gone
before,


There was baby born to be broth
or to the child; and while he was so
little that he had never yet spoken
word. he stretched out his tiny form on
his bed, and died.


Again the child dreamed of the open-
ed star, snd 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.


Said his sisters angel to the leader:


SIS my brother comel"


And he said nNot that one, but an
other"


AS the child beheld his brothers an
gel in her arms, he cried, 20, sister, l
am here! Take me!"' And she turned
and smiled upon him, and the star was
shining.


He grew up to be a young man, and
was busy at his books when an old SER
want came to him and said:


"Thy mother is no more, ! bring her
blessing on her darling son."


Again at night he saw the star, and
all that former company. Said his sis
ter's to the leader:


as my brother comet"


And bo said sfThv naotharW