Year: 1868

thought of q 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 Aow-
ers they wondered at the height and
bluouess Of the sky; they wondered
at the goodness and power of God
who made the lovely world.


They used to say to one another,
sometimes. Supposing all the chill
dren upon the earth were to die,
would the flowers, and the water, and
the sky, be sorry2 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 small.
est 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 q clear shining star that
used to come out on the sky before
the rest, near the church spirc, 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 a
window. Whoever saw it first, cried
out. "I see the star !" And often
they cried out both together, knowing
so we'll when itwould rise, aud 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
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 win
dow at night; aud then the child
looked sadly out by himself, and
when he saw the star he turned
round and said to the patient, pale
face on the bed; ~ see the star ~
and then smile would come upon
the face, and little weak voice used
to say "God bless my brother and
the star ~


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 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 wero so bright, and
they seemed to make such shining
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. Aud the star,
opening, showed him a great world
of light, where many more such an
/ gels waited to receive them.


All these angels, who we're waiting,
turned their beamiDg eyes upon the
people 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, aud kiss
cd 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 90 with them and among them
one he knew. The patient face that
once had laid upon the bed was glo'
rifed 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;


"ls my brother come p
And he said "No."


She was turning hopefully away
when the child stretched out his arms
aud cried, 30, sister, am here Take
me p and then she turned her beam
ing eyes upon him, and it was night
and the star was shining into the
room, making long rays down to-
wards him as he saw it through his
tolrs.


From that hour forth, the child
looked out 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 sister
angel gone before.


There was a baby born to be a
brother to the child and while he
} was so little that he had never YET
spoken word, he stretched out his
tiny form on the bed, and died.
Again the child dreamed of the
opened 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.


Said his sisters angel to the leader


"Is my brother come 2"


And be said, "Sot that one, but
duolnet. q


As the child beheld his brother 3
angel in his arms, he cried, 30, sis.
ter, am here Take mo ~ And she
turned and smiled upon him, and the
star was shining.


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


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


Again at night he saw the star, aud
all the former company. Said his
sister TO the leader:


''ls my brother come 2"


And he said, "Tby mother !"


A mighty cry of Of JOY went forth
through all the star, because the