Produced by Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) [Illustration: STAR PEOPLE AND THE JANE ELLEN ] STAR PEOPLE BY KATHARINE FAY DEWEY WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRANCES B. COMSTOCK [Illustration] BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY =The Riverside Press Cambridge= 1910 COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY KATHARINE FAY DEWEY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED _Published October 1910_ TO THREE LITTLE KATHARINES _Oh, Katharines three, Come sail with me Where the ship of my Fancy flies! We’ll wander free Over land and sea, Then sail away to the skies._ _If I were a star, So far—so far— From this Earth where the children dwell, My twinkliest beam For that ship should gleam; And my truest secret I’d tell To the eyes that look Through fancy.—No book Nor telescope serves so well._ CONTENTS I. THE PRINCESS AND THE OTHERS 1 _Introduces some people in Garden and Sky. Meet them now if you like, or come back by and by._ II. THE SAILOR’S STAR 11 _Tells how the Jane Ellen sailed far o’er the sea; Found a rock, built a ladder, and pleased Little B._ III. THE COMET AND THE POLE STAR 42 _On the sands of the seashore you learn what befell A bad little Comet.—Oh, it punished him well!_ IV. OLD SOL’S MENAGERIE 65 _The cages are safe, though you can’t see the bars; The Zodiac Circus,—Performers all Stars!_ V. MAJOR 80 _Here comes a great Wagon. Ahoy! Who goes there? Did some one say, “Dipper”? Why!—’tis you, Mr. Bear!_ VI. THE BEE BABY 98 _Were I seeking a spot that was safe for a babe, or To build me a cot, and would not lose my labor, I would not choose Xyntli, myself, for a neighbor!_ VII. LADY MOON’S LANTERN 127 _Rise, rise, Lady Moon! Soar high,—sail over!— Where is Bee Baby now? Shall I discover?_