The Child's Dream Of A Star

Thcre vrr.s onco ; i ' 'roio'ut 8 grêat doa!. and ttídúght of a number of thiiiijs. He had a sister, who was a chlld too, and his constant eonipanion. These two used to wander all day long. They wondered at the beauty of flmra?; they wondered at the hight and blueoess of the sky; they wondered at the depth of the bright water; they wondered at the goodhëès and power of God, who made the lovely world. They used to say to one another sometimos: "S'uppós'ing all tíie ctííldren on earth v ■ re loc'ie woukl the Uovvera and tüe water and the sky be sorry?" ïhey believed they would be sotry. For, said thoy, tho buds are the childcen of the flowers, and the littler playtul Btrearna that gántból down the hillsides, are the ohildren of the water; and th(3 smallest bright speck.s p! at hide and soek iii the sky all i must surely ba the öhildren of the stars; ;uid they would ill be m-ieved t) see their playmates, the ebildreu of men. tío rnöre. There was one olear shilling star that used to cüine out iu the sky befbre thr-st, near the Ctiurch spire abou graves. 1: was Jarger a iu more beautftul, than all the others, and c-verv night they watubëd lor il, standing haud in liand, at the vi dow. Whoev.r sa it hrsi, crkid ut: "I see the star!" And oftén they cried out both toreiher. knovving mi vvell uhen it would ;i;d where 36 they gresv to be Buöh hienda wiih it that befnre laying down ju their beils, they looked oui once iigaiii, to bid it gnod nigiit; and wlieu they wem türüing round to sleep, they would eay; '(xod )es ilial siai!" Uut wiilie si:e stül vei'V youtlg - oh! veiy, very yourjg, üin sister drooped, afid (íüriip t l)e ■. woak that t!e pyuld nu l'ii.g.r Sláflx] íti thj wilidow a' nighl, and tfien tlie ci.ild looked sadlv out by Umseif, and vvlivn ha sav the star, turned r. -und to the patiënt pale face on thü "1 Mie the and tin n & smiltj wc.uld uóuie upoii lier taoe; and then a llitle weak VofoP üéöfl tQSdj; "üoia bless my brolher and the - Aii't o ;he time eauie all too goon win-i, the phild iowked om alone, and wheii tbenj was no face opon the bed, and wbtíO lliere vas a htUe grave aniong the graves, ruit ttieiv. bèfuft; ttnd iviitu Uu; ..lar (natie long ruys down t.mnrd liitn, as he saw it through hi t'a!S. Kim, thsise r.. s ver: so brightj and tlie Srelind tn in.ikti nuch a beau ff ui shiuing rtay ii.rüi eartli tó títáveñ, lll.lt l.t:ll tilt cllll.j tiit ld IliS r-D.U.n'V bed, hu dieiumui ubout Uie star: dri.au. ed that lyiug uhuie he was bel saw a train of peepie taken tip that Btiitiibg ro d hy angvls. And the sta" opening shovved ti mi a grcat. World of ligbl, nhóre iiiaáy inore such angels waited to receive tl All ChcBe ungí Is wlio Wefe waiting, turriöd Ibeir betniug ejres upón the I puuplo who wero oarried up int Miu star; and some come oiít frpin the long Í rows m w ich the;, stood and (uil upon tlib j.eople'8 neuk and KÍósed thuin tenderly, a:id wpnt awny wilh them dowd i avenues ui ligbl üud wertj so üappy in th-eir OompanVj that tying iu the bed he went tor ioy. But there were many angels who did lot go with theiu, and among them ojie iu knew. The patiënt inee thar had uce lam upon thu bed was glorifled iiid radiant, but bis hemt fouud out aisisieber átrioag all the hto . ■'is my biother collie?" And he said "Nu." She was turniog hoptfuüy aw.;y, vvliuii the cbüd streiciied out hi.s urins, and siid, "Oh, sisterj 1 am Iiere! Tako me." And thën shü ttltned her beaming eye.s upou ham, and it wus aïgkl and the star was shining into i iiiakiiig long pays down toward him, as he sav it throuihl liis tears. Frorn that hour. fonh, tha abild looKed out upon tlio stars as on the home he was to go to vvlieti his timo i come, and. lio ttióught he did not behing to earth alone, but to the star, .oo, l)n(iuiisu of' h;s sistet's angel gone before Hiere w:;s a baby born lo be a brotber to the child, and while he ura.s so little ihat he r.ever yet had spuken a word, he slretched his tiuy lora) out on the bèd khè dicd. Ag;iiu the cliüd droaaied oí' the i star, and of the company oï angels, and the train bf people'and all the rous.oi with their leatnipg cm;.. uil turnea njj inthose péoplö'a er'.e angel 'o tho ieai 'lIs my brother comeï ' And hij said, "Not that one, but anottiur.'1 Ab the ehild beh,-]j his brothei's ancel in her ar.ns, lie cli ' Oh, sister, I am liei-u! Talie me," And she tunitd und smilüd npon bim, and the etar Waa rhining. was t i b ,ok itn öld séWaftt ■o liiii), and suid: oro, I bwng her)-1 11 '!." . a,1 i II lormci coiiiKny, Svikl his s hiv Urother oftir Anri ha .-:iii, ' i'hy rhothor." A Ihigtfty :ry "f jfty font i'rrh llivonij-h uil the st ui-s, ,c.c:i!i. mother ■■.fis re-uniied tö hoi1 twó (!r:ü. .-Viiri he Ptrctciicil ou! tía anus and -via(!: "Ob, imoI'ht. si.stiT and brothor. I ura iK'i-e, tako me! Take me." flÖwy iin.swered, Not yet,"' und tho star was shining. Hu grew to ba a rnnn, whose hair was tqfning gray, and ho wns sittíng in his dbáir liv Iho firesido, heavy with grief, and with ilis fcdö bi:dewe 1 with tears, HrbeD tho star oponed once ag.iin. Baid bíí sistcr's angul to the leader: "Is my brothor botrie?!' "An.:J hesaid, ''Xay, but lus malden dawg+i er." Andthemnn w!u had boen thechild, saw his dangliter. rievviy lost to him, a ceiostial creature arnong ihoso three, and lie said: "My daughtec'a Hp id is on my inotliei''s b-som and ber u'in is aroim i my nintbi'r'rt neck and at her fee: is the baby oí oíd time, and I can bear the parting from her. G d be praised ' And the star was shining. Thus the cbild oanw to be an oíd riiad, a nu bis onee smooth tace was wrinkled, and h stops were slovv and fe#bkT; a, ni his back was buni. And ono niííht, as ho lny upen liis bed, his an títaiuliiig aroaad Isim, Lo cried aa tía had oried s: Doog ago: "I seé the staraW! wbitperfed to one another, "lio s uyinp;.'' And lie said, "I acá. My age is fal ing inora me like a garrtent, and í mese tow-ai'd Esrie stat as a c'iild. And, Otó my Fatlier, now I thank thüe that it hns so often apénéd to rscsivs tboee doar ones who awul n:e." And the star was shining; and i: . s up'ui his gravo.