"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." THE GIANT WITH A BELT OF STARS _Greek_ It is an easy matter for any one to find the three great stars in the sky that are arranged in a row, like three great diamonds sparkling on the front of a mammoth crown. They shine out, clear and bright, whenever Diana takes her silver bow, which we call the moon, and goes to hunt in her secret fields or forests. These three stars have been called Orion's Belt for thousands of years, and for ages children and grown people have watched for their coming after the sun has gone below the horizon.