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it　is　in　our　own　hands。　　We　must　resolve；　at　any　sacrifice　of

feeling；　to　be　deaf　to　such　appeals；　and　crush　the　trade。



There　are　degrees　in　murder。　　Life　must　be　held　sacred　among　us　in

more　ways　than　one　…　sacred；　not　merely　from　the　murderous　weapon；

or　the　subtle　poison；　or　the　cruel　blow；　but　sacred　from

preventible　diseases；　distortions；　and　pains。　　That　is　the　first

great　end　we　have　to　set　against　this　miserable　imposition。

Physical　life　respected；　moral　life　comes　next。　　What　will　not

content　a　Begging…Letter　Writer　for　a　week；　would　educate　a　score

of　children　for　a　year。　　Let　us　give　all　we　can；　let　us　give　more

than　ever。　　Let　us　do　all　we　can；　let　us　do　more　than　ever。　　But

let　us　give；　and　do；　with　a　high　purpose；　not　to　endow　the　scum　of

the　earth；　to　its　own　greater　corruption；　with　the　offals　of　our

duty。







A　CHILD'S　DREAM　OF　A　STAR







THERE　was　once　a　child；　and　he　strolled　about　a　good　deal；　and

thought　of　a　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　flowers；　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；　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。　　It　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　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　drooped；　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；　'I　see　the　star！'　and　then　a　smile

would　come　upon　the　face；　and　a　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　a　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　such　a

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　sparkling　road

by　angels。　　And　the　star；　opening；　showed　him　a　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　people　who　were　carried　up　into　the　star；　and　some　came　out

from　the　long　rows　in　which　they　stood；　and　fell　upon　the　people's

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　glorified　and　radiant；　but　his　heart　found　out　his　sister　among

all　the　host。



His　sister's　angel　lingered　near　the　entrance　of　the　star；　and　said

to　the　leader　among　those　who　had　brought　the　people　thither：



'Is　my　brother　come？'



And　he　said　'No。'



She　was　turning　hopefully　away；　when　the　child　stretched　out　his

arms；　and　cried；　'O；　sister；　I　am　here！　　Take　me！'　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　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　sister's　angel　gone　before。



There　was　a　baby　born　to　be　a　brother　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　people's　faces。



Said　his　sister's　angel　to　the　leader：



'Is　my　brother　come？'



And　he　said；　'Not　that　one；　but　another。'



As　the　child　beheld　his　brother's　angel　in　her　arms；　he　cried；　'O；

sister；　I　am　here！　　Take　me！'　　And　she　turned　and　smiled　upon　him；

and　the　star　was　shining。



He　grew　to　be　a　young　man；　and　was　busy　at　his　books　when　an　old

servant　came　to　him　and　said：



'Thy　mother　is　no　more。　　I　bring　her　blessing　on　her　darling　son！'



Again　at　night　he　saw　the　star；　and　all　that　former　company。　　Said

his　sister's　angel　to　the　leader。



'Is　my　brother　come？'



And　he　said；　'Thy　mother！'



A　mighty　cry　of　joy　went　forth　through　all　the　star；　because　the

mother　was　re…united　to　her　two　children。　　And　he　stretched　out　his

arms　and　cried；　'O；　mother；　sister；　and　brother；　I　am　here！　　Take

me！'　　And　they　answered　him；　'Not　yet；'　and　the　star　was　shining。



He　grew　to　be　a　man；　whose　hair　was　turning　grey；　and　he　was

sitting　in　his　chair　by　the　fireside；　heavy　with　grief；　and　with

his　face　bedewed　with　tears；　when　the　star　opened　once　again。



Said　his　sister's　angel　to　the　leader：　'Is　my　brother　come？'



And　he　said；　'Nay；　but　his　maiden　daughter。'



And　the　man　who　had　been　the　child　saw　his　daughter；　newly　lost　to

him；　a　celestial　creature　among　those　three；　and　he　said；　'My

daughter's　head　is　on　my　sister's　bosom；　and　her　arm　is　around　my

mother's　neck；　and　at　her　feet　there　is　the　baby　of　old　time；　and　I

can　bear　the　parting　from　her；　GOD　be　praised！'



And　the　star　was　shining。



Thus　the　child　came　to　be　an　old　man；　and　his　once　smooth　face　was

wrinkled；　and　his　steps　were　slow　and　feeble；　and　his　back　was

bent。　　And　one　night　as　he　lay　upon　his　bed；　his　children　standing

round；　he　cried；　as　he　had　cried　so　long　ago：



'I　see　the　star！'



They　whispered　one　another；　'He　is　dying。'



And　he　said；　'I　am。　　My　age　is　falling　from　me　like　a　garment；　and

I　move　towards　the　star　as　a　child。　　And　O；　my　Father；　now　I　thank

thee　that　it　has　so　often　opened；　to　receive　those　dear　ones　who

await　me！'



And　the　star　was　shining；　and　it　shines　upon　his　grave。







OUR　ENGLISH　WATERING…PLACE







IN　the　Autumn…time　of　the　year；　when　the　great　metropolis　is　so

much　hotter；　so　much　noisier；　so　much　more　dusty　or　so　much　more

water…carted；　so　much　more　crowded；　so　much　more　disturbing　and

distracting　in　all　respects；　than　it　usually　is；　a　quiet　sea…beach

becomes　indeed　a　blessed　spot。　　Half　awake　and　half　asleep；　this

idle　morning　in　our　sunny　window　on　the　edge　of　a　chalk…cliff　in

the　old…fashioned　watering…place　to　which　we　are　a　faithful

resorter；　we　feel　a　lazy　inclination　to　sketch　its　picture。



The　place　seems　to　respond。　　Sky；　sea；　beach；　and　village；　lie　as

still　before　us　as　if　they　were　sitting　for　the　picture。　　It　is

dead　low…water。　　A　ripple　plays　among　the　ripening　corn　upon　the

cliff；　as　if　it　were　faintly　trying　from　recollection　to　imitate

the　sea；　and　the　world　of　butterflies　hovering　over　the　crop　of

radish…seed　are　as　restless　in　their　little　way　as　the　gulls　are　in

their　larger　manner　when　the　wind　blows。　　But　the　ocean　lies

winking　in　the　sunlight　like　a　drowsy　lion　…　its　glassy　waters

scarcely　curve　upon　the　shore　…　the　fishing…boats　in　the　tiny

harbour　are　all　stranded　in　the　mud　…　our　two　colliers　（our

watering…place　has　a　maritime　trade　employing　that　amount　of

shipping）　have　not　an　inch　of　water　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of

them；　and　turn；　exhausted；　on　their　sides；　like　faint　fish　of　an

antediluvian　species。　　Rusty　cables　and　chains；　ropes　and　rings；

undermost　parts　of　posts　and　piles　and　confused　timber…defences

against　the　waves；　lie　strewn　about；　in　a　brown　litter　of　tangled

sea…weed　and　fallen　cliff　which　looks　as　if　a　family　of　giants　had

been　making　tea　here　for　ages；　and　had　observed　an　untidy　custom　of

throwing　their　tea…leaves　on　the　shore。



In　truth；　our　watering…place　itself　has　been　left　somewhat　high　and

dry　by　the　tide　of　years。　　Concerned　as　we　are　for　its　honour；　we

must　reluctantly　admit　that　the　time　when　this　pretty　little

semicircular　sweep　of　houses；　tapering　off　at　the　end　of　the　wooden

pier　into　a　point　in　the　sea；　was　a　gay　place；　and　when　the

lighthouse　overlooking　it　shone　at　daybreak　on　company　dispersing

from　public　balls；　is　but　dimly　traditional　now。　　There　is　a　bleak

chamber　in　our　watering…place　which　is　yet　called　the　Assembly

'Rooms；'　and　understood　to　be　available　on　hire　for　balls　or

concerts；　and；　some　few　seasons　since；　an　ancient　little　gentleman

came　down　and　stayed　at　the　hotel；　who　said　that　he　had　danced

there；　in　bygone　ages；　wit