Part 5

"Ever so much larger," replied Mary.

"Once upon a time it was a ball of glowing gas reaching as far as the path of the last planet. The ball whirled around rapidly and the outer edge cooled. A ring formed and separated from the ball and whirled around on its own account, until it broke up into fragments. One of the fragments drew all the others toward it, and another ball was formed, but quite a small ball this time, called a planet. Just like the central ball, the planet kept whirling around, threw off a ring, the ring broke up into little pieces, and the pieces, coming together, made a little moon. The planet is Neptune, and it still has only one moon. Meanwhile the ball in the center kept whirling around, other rings formed other planets with their attendant moons, completing the family of Giant Sun.

"The Sun is in the center and his planets circle around him. Next to him is playful little Mercury, then beautiful Venus, then our own planet Earth. Beyond it, we find ruddy Mars, the four hundred and fifty baby planets, giant planet Jupiter, the ringed planet Saturn, and the last two planets, Uranus and Neptune. All these planets are under the control of the sun, and cannot get away from him."

"What is the sun made of?" asked Harry.

"Of iron and copper and silver, and many other things we can find on earth; but the sun is so hot that they are melted together into a mass like glue. This is the center of the sun. Outside is a shell of bright clouds, from which rosy flames leap to a height of thousands of miles above the surface of the sun. All around the edge of the sun, and reaching millions of miles beyond it, is the pearly light of the corona like a crown of glory. The pearly corona fades away into a soft beam of light."

"How beautiful the sun must be!" said Harry, as he listened attentively to his sister. "But is it all alone in the sky, and does it not have any little stars to play with?"

"It is not at all lonely," said Mary, laughing at the idea of the stars as playthings for Giant Sun, "and is kept quite busy looking after its large family of planets. I will tell you about them to-morrow, or nurse will scold me for tiring you. And now, good-by, my dear. Don't forget all I have told you about Giant Sun."

"Forget! how could I, sister? It is better than any fairy tale I have ever heard. Giant Sun! Why you have told me enough to keep me thinking all day and all night. Here comes Nellie. Hello! Nellie, come here and let me tell you all about GIANT SUN, and how he melted your dollie for you the other day."

"Melted my dollie!" said a pretty little golden-haired girl, as she tripped like a little fairy up the garden-path. "So he melted my dollie, did he? I should like to see him do it again!" Tears came into her eyes at the thought of her sad experience. Since then, however, a china head had replaced the melted wax, and Nellie's fickle little heart had been comforted. So the tears soon vanished in a smile as she showed her new treasure to Harry.

ON THE SETTING SUN.

Those evening clouds, that setting ray, And beauteous tint, serve to display Their great Creator's praise; Then let the short-lived thing called man, Whose life's comprised within a span, To Him his homage raise.

We often praise the evening clouds, And tints so gay and bold, But seldom think upon our God, Who tinged these clouds with gold.

--Sir Walter Scott.

THE FOUR SUNBEAMS.

BY M. K. B.

Four little sunbeams came earthward one day, Shining and dancing along on their way, Resolved that their course should be blest. "Let us try," they all whispered, "some kindness to do, Not seek our own pleasuring all the day through, Then meet in the eve at the west."

One sunbeam ran in at a low cottage door, And played "hide-and-seek" with a child on the floor, Till baby laughed loud in his glee, And chased with delight his strange playmate so bright, The little hands grasping in vain for the light That ever before them would flee.

One crept to the couch where an invalid lay, And brought him a dream of the sweet summer day, Its bird-song and beauty and bloom; Till pain was forgotten and weary unrest, And in fancy he roamed through the scenes he loved best, Far away from the dim, darkened room.

One stole to the heart of a flower that was sad, And loved and caressed her until she was glad, And lifted her white face again; For love brings content to the lowliest lot, And finds something sweet in the dreariest spot, And lightens all labor and pain.

And one, where a little blind girl sat alone, Not sharing the mirth of her playfellows, shone On hands that were folded and pale, And kissed the poor eyes that had never known sight, That never would gaze on the beautiful light Till angels had lifted the veil.

At last, when the shadows of evening were falling, And the sun, their great father, his children was calling, Four sunbeams sped into the west. All said: "We have found that in seeking the pleasure Of others, we fill to the full our own measure," Then softly they sank to their rest.

--St. Nicholas, December, 1879.

THE SUN.

Somewhere it is always light; For when 'tis morning here, In some far distant land 'tis night, And the bright moon shines there.

When you've retired and gone to sleep, They are just rising there; And morning o'er the hill doth creep When it is evening here.

And other distant lands there be Where it is always night; For weeks the sun they never see, The stars alone give light.

But though 'tis dark both night or day It is as wondrous quite That when the night has passed away, The sun for weeks gives light.

Yes, while you sleep the sun shines bright, The sky is blue and clear; For weeks and weeks there is no night But always daylight there.