if I'd tried ever so.

"Yes, sir, it were a strange thing that when my 'usband come to die his
mind seemed to hang on his whistle more'n a'most anything else. He kep'
talkin' about it all night, and sayin' the tall shepherd was answerin'
back, though I never 'eard nothin' myself, save that one time I told yer
of.

"'It's queer he don't talk about the stars,' sez Mrs. Rowe to me. 'He
will do before he's done, you see if he doesn't,' I sez.

"Well, about three o'clock I see a change in his face and knowed as the
end wasn't far off. So I puts my arm round his old neck, and I sez,
'Bob, my dear, are you prepared to meet your Maker?' 'Oh! I'm all
right,' he sez quite sensible; 'don't you bother your head about that,'
'Don't you think you'd better let me send for the parson?' I sez. 'No,'
he sez; 'but you could send for Sir Robert Ball--if you only knew where
to find him.' 'But,' I sez, 'wouldn't you like somebody to pray with
yer? Sir Robert Ball's no good for that,' 'He's as good as anybody
else,' he sez. 'Besides what's the use of prayin' now? It's all over,'
'It might do yer good,' I sez. 'It's too late," he sez, 'and I don't
want it. It isn't no Maker I'm goin' to--I'm goin' to the stars,' 'Oh,'
I sez, 'you're dreamin' again,' 'No, I'm not' he sez. 'Didn't I tell yer
they'd been a-callin' on me all day? I don't mean the stars, but them as
lives in 'em.'

"No, sir, he wasn't wanderin' then. 'I wish the children was 'ere,' he
sez; 'but you couldn't get 'em all in this little room. My eye, what a
lot we've 'ad! And all livin'. And there's Tom got seven of 'is own,'
And a lot more like that; but I was so upset and cryin' that I can't
remember half on it.

"About four o'clock he seemed to rally a bit and asked me to put my arm
round him and lift him up. So I raises him, like, on the pillow and
gives him a sup o' water. 'What day o' the week is it?' he sez. 'Sunday
mornin',' I sez. 'That's my day for the stars,' he sez, and a smile come
over his face, as were beautiful to see.... No, sir, he weren't a
smilin' man, as a rule--he allus got too much on his mind--and a lot o'
pain to bear too, sir. Oh, dear me!... Well, as I was a-sayin', he were
as glad as glad when he heard it were Sunday. 'What's o'clock?' he sez.
'Just struck four by the church clock,' I sez. 'Then the dawn must be
breakin',' he sez; 'look out o' the winder, there's a good lass, and
tell me if the sky's clear, and if you can see the mornin' star in the