Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/42

Rh Mamma will give you some shoes, and you can stay with us." But she heeded them not, and in a few moments was again out of sight.

On summer evenings, when the sky was clear, Grandmother used to sit with the children upon the bench under the old linden. While Adelka was small, she sat in Grandma's lap, and the rest of the children stood at her knees. It could not be otherwise, for as soon as she began to speak, they looked right into her face so as not to lose a single word.

She told them about shining angels that dwell above and light the stars for the people, and about guardian angels, who protect children, rejoicing when they are good and weeping when they are bad. The children then turned their eyes to the thousands of bright lights that shone in the heavens, some small, some large and of various brilliant colors.

"I wonder which one of those stars is mine?" asked Johnny one evening.

"God alone knows," replied Grandmother; "but think, could it be possible to find it among those millions?"

"I wonder whose are those beautiful stars that shine so bright?" asked Barunka.

"Those," replied Grandmother, "belong to people whom God especially loves, His elect, who have accomplished many good works and have never displeased Him.

"But, Grandma," again asked Barunka, as the sad tones came to them from the dam, "Victorka has her star too, has she not?"

"Yes, but it is clouded. But come, let us go in; it is time to go to bed, for it is quite dark. Let us