Half-Past Seven Stories

etimes there doesn't seem to be any reason at all--except maybe germs. And who ever saw a real live germ walking around, except, perhaps, doctors looki

what had happen

where he could watch the fingers of the sun-beams stray over the rag rug and pick out the pretty colors in it

en bread. But after all, perhaps it was better, for his appetite wasn't so very big. He had only asked becau

so. What was it the doctor called them? Tonsils, that was i

they would really "eat us"--and how they could "eat us" when they were in your throat alread

spare room to sleep, and she would come herself and lie down in Jehosophat's bed, right next to the little sick b

if it was Mother that lay by his side. Her hands and her voice were sort

ine thing about being

ut almost as blue as periwinkles, or the sky some nights. It had little creases on the outside, "flutings," Mother said, li

e sponge for the bread,

stay with me, I

boy let me go--jus

while. Then, "Yes," he said slow

wick. The wick always seemed lazy about being

ch a pretty color, not like the bluing Hannah put in the water to make the clothes white, nor would it match So

me sputtered, sometimes it waved in the air, or dipped and

ow. He tried to look with one eye at the light and with the other eye

ight is the baby of the s

he saw a ray travel down from it int

reaching from the sky to his bed. Something seemed to be tr

be an angel, then a fai

happen, and he heard the voice singing a fu

s was t

ht,

y or

in the

in the

dow, stood a little lady. He thought she was dressed in

, making the peak of a crown. The two middle points stuck out beyond her shoulders like bright moth

n hair was not still like that, but was always in motion like crinkly water that flows over the stones in the brook when the sun shines on it. And there on the

g on with th

and

t and

y and

Christma

y he talked to the fellows at school. He mustn't speak to such a

led and said--wh

ike himself. That seemed t

and

lake or

and

crystal

she s

asked Marmaduke. "Oh, yes

church

the

wavelet

mast of

shini

Bethl

little

ox in t

aby

rightest

l of it?" Marma

sing just the last part for ton

Mother

right as

didn't understand exactly what it was all about, but it was a very pretty song, and

ou come dow

maybe it was a little lost star. You see, we have to look out for

k it up ther

nd she laughed. And when she laughed it sounded like

could speak. "Do I look as if I

o you do? Just floa

rth people would put it--but

is the

ook he

you'd never understand it, b

duke

it," he said, "but

tar Lady

perhaps

lse besides hunting f

we find little stars on earth that have never been in the sky, a

ind of

u like to

r rude. Still she didn't reprove him; she didn't seem to mind it a bit. There

him, "but we must be off before dayl

mp with you, then you'll

kies, to see The Old Man in the Moon, but that journe

rising in the air with one hand clasped in the finger

the people would look up

ght and not me," he said to himse

is twin were lying there in the water, and he laughed out loud--that is he thought he did. But he found he w

y were getting up in the clouds he couldn't hear his own voice and she

aughing," she explained, and i

white islands in a clear blue sea. And the sky was the sea. It wasn't like water, but just as coo

m, yet it didn't give way--he could sit down on it. He did lie down for a

the Sun. He's stirring in his sleep, an

interrupted Marmaduke,

over it, and then he dips his

es he d

parade of questions, "but let's go before he starts to wash up, f

ny steps," exclaim

sm

, "you've been climbi

and my legs don't feel a bit tired,

ver there I see the Sun. H

view la

e skies," she explained, "we neve

ve forever

nswered gently, "but

as his eyes could see, and as far as they could have

of grass were a blade of violet. And each field was thickly planted wit

about--no, it wasn't that--they were floating about the meadows. How Marmad

rs or angels?

er answer was very strange,

could put it to the Star Lady and see if she would give the same answer as Mother. It

the star

"at least He made the big on

ho mad

h. Perhaps you made a f

make stars?" And he st

go looking for them, and we can find them easily, for they shine out even in the darkest woods and

near him. It was very little, but, some

star, yet it was round as a bubble. And in i

looking at him wit

you see?"

tle faint, but he could make it out a horse and a

eup and Johnny Cric

ered. "I saw you do it, and I went down to Earth, and took that kind,

ll he could say, i

ot far away that was full o

he told the Star Lady, "

y? No w

her head on one side,

t they are. I'm going

ind deeds--all she's done for me and Jehosophat and

ou never guessed there

very solemn a

't forget

s rose into a hill. And on the top of the h

" the little boy a

one over the crad

t him go nearer, bu

meday you'll see

sappointe

an I?"

ill see it, when the Earth people are kind to each oth

ink that star is any prettier than Mo

he same light. But the Sun is putting on his gold shoes.

ooked over to the East, the edg

ll the stars and to me. But before you go, listen, and you'll hear them all singing t

he could hear was music like sle

her, "but it isn't clear.

urned. "Goodbye, my dear, I'll look out for your stars ag

the Star Lady waving at him from above,

ht,

y or

in the

in the

inking at him--and his mother's hand was on his foreh

asked him. He didn't answer tha

the

, de

yes are

, my dear

owsily, then fell asleep, he