_Greek_
"Every night, mother, I see a beautiful star in the sky so different
from the others. It comes first and shines so bright that it seems as if
it were the loveliest star in the whole sky. Won't you watch for it
to-night with me?"
The mother smiled, for she thought she knew which one of the stars Mamie
would point out. Sure enough, that night as they both sat in the hammock
watching the sunset, out came the very star she expected. In a moment
Mamie saw it and nearly fell out of the hammock as she screamed and
clapped her hands.
"There it is, mamma! There it is! I know it because it looks straight at
me. It knows me, I believe, for it never trembles a bit, like the other
stars! Did you ever see such a lovely one?"
Her mother smiled an odd little smile.
"What makes you laugh at me, mother? I know you are laughing, by the
corners of your mouth; they go up so queerly. Tell me."
"Why, Mamie, that is Venus you are watching. I have watched her every
year since I first found her long ago."
"Venus? Who is Venus, mother? And what makes you call a star _her_? I
didn't know a star could have a name. Who named her? Did you, mother?
What made you call her Venus?"
"Seems to me you ask a great many questions, little girl. Which one
shall I answer first?"
"Did you name my star yourself?"
"No, Mamie, it was named hundreds of years ago when many stars had names
given them. You know people have watched and studied the stars almost
since the world began."
"And was Venus a little girl or a woman? I know she must have been
lovely or they would never have given her name to my star."
"Your star, as you call it, Mamie, is at present the evening star.
By and by it will be the morning star. I will tell you where it
got its name.
"Venus was a lovely woman, but she never was a little girl. The old, old
story books say that one day as some people were walking by the sea they
saw a rose-tinted shell rise on the crest of the wave. This great shell
opened, and beautiful Venus, clothed in raiment like sea-foam when the
sun shines on it, stepped out upon the waters. The people watching were
not surprised when they saw a sunset cloud sail down and take her to the
edge of the western sky, where the ruby gates opened and she passed
through to the world of the gods. That was her home. Whenever she wished
to return to earth she came in a silver chariot drawn by snow-white
swans. Her head was always wreathed with roses and myrtles. White doves
carried her messages. Her dress is of the finest silk, the color of the
pink sea-shell."
"Why, mamma, you say _is_! Do you mean Venus is still alive?"
[Illustration: VENUS. From the statue in the Louvre, Paris]
"No, dear, she never was alive. It is only one of the many beautiful
myths that people used to believe two thousand years ago. But artists
love to paint pictures as beautiful as Venus was thought to be, and
there are many lovely statues of her. Sometimes it almost seems as if
she must have been alive. When we go to the art gallery, see if you can
find a Venus.
"But say good-night to your star, for it is late. Some time you will
miss her and find another in her place. Tell me, dear, when the new
star comes."
"Oh, I am going to watch every night, mamma. Will the new one
have a name?"
"Yes, but I'm not going to tell you its name or its story till it
comes."