Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-04-25
MISCELLANY.
THE TEA ROSE.
Contributed to GoGeys Lady's Book for March.
BY MRS. II. Z. BEECHER STOWE

BY MRS. II. Z. BEECHER STOWE.
PARTl.
There it stood in its little green vase, on light
ebony stand in the window of the drawing room
The rich sutin curtains with their costly frnges
swept down on either siie of it, and around il
gstened every rare and fancilul tr1c which wealth
can offer to luxury, and yet the simple rose was
the falrest of them all. So pure it looked-iiS
white leaves touched with delicious creamy tim,
peculiar to its kind its cup so full so perfect, it's
head bending as ii il were sinking aud melting a
way in its own richness-oh when did man ever
make anything like the living perfect flower.
But the sunlight that sreamed through the win.
dow revealed something fairer than the rose. Re-
clined on an Ottoman, in deep recess, and in
tently engaged with book, lay what seemed The
living counterpart of that so lovely flower. The
cheek, so pale, so spiritual, the face so full of high
thought, the fair forehead the long, downcast LASH
es, and the expression of the beautiful mouth, so
sorrOwiul yet so subdued and sweet-it seemed
like the picture of dream.
"Florence Florence - echoed merry and
musical voice in sweet tone. Turn your head,
reader and you will see dark and sparkling mai
den, the very model Of some little wful elf,
born of mischief and motion, with dancing eye,
foot that scarcely seemed to touch the carpet,
and smile so multiplied by dimples, that it seem
ed like q thousand smiles ut once "Come, Flor
ence, say" said the little fairy, "put away that
wise, good excellent volume and talk with =
poor little mortal, -come descend from your cloud,
my dear"
The fair apparition thus abjured, obeyed, and,
looking up, revealed just the eyes you expected to
see beneath such lids; eyes deep, pathetic and
rich, his strain of sad music.
81 say, cousin" said the dark-eyed lady, give
been thinking what you are TO do with your pet
rose, when you go 10 New ork-as to our great
CONSERVATION you are going 10 do; you konw il
would he a sad pity to leave il with such scatter
braiu aa M I bo Iowa HnwarS hott, Cao,
that is, like regular boquet, cut off aud tied up
TO carry TO party; but hs TO all this tending an
tussing that is necessary 10 keep them growing,
I've no gifts in that line"
Snake yourself quite easy as 10 that, Kate -
said Florence, with u smile "lve no intention
OF calling upon your talents have an asylum
for my fnvourte."
ooh then you know JUST what was going to
say; Mrs. Marshal | presume has been speaking
toyuu she WINS here yesterday, AMI was very
pathetic upon the SUBJECT telling her the loss your
fnyourlte would sustain, and so forh and said
how delighted she should be to have il in her
greenhouse, it is in such fine state now. so full
OF buds. told her | knew you would like it, of
all things, 10 give il to her; you were always so
fond OF Mrs. Marshall you know"
SHAY, Kate, am sorry, but have otherwise
"Who can it be to you have no intimates here. u
"Oh, only one OF my odd fancies."
But do tell me, Florence"
"Well, cousin, you know the little pale girl to
whom we give sewing"
"What, liue Mary Stephens? How absurd
That is just of piece, Florence, with your other
mothery, old.lnaldish ways-dressing dolls for
poor children, making caps, and knitting socks
for all the little dirty babies in the region round
about. do believe you have made more calls in
those two vile, i-smelling alleys back of our
house than ever you made in Chestnut street,
you know every body has been half dying TO see
you; and now to crown all, you must give this
choice little bjou TO a seamslress girl, when one
OF your most intimate friends, in your own class
would value Il SO highly. What in the world can
| people IN their circumstances want OF flowers T"
"Just the same that | do" replied Florence,
/ calmly. "Have you never noticed that tho little
| girl never comes here without looking wistfully
at the opening buds and don't YOU remember The
morning when she asked mo 50 pretily if would
let her mother come and see IT, she was 10 fond OF
| fowers"
! "But, Florence, only think of this rare flower
standing on a table with ham, eggs, cheese aud
-four, aud sfed in the close little room where Mrs.
Stephens and her daughter manage to wash, iron,
cook, aud nobody knows what besides"
"Wel, Kate, and il | were obliged to live in
one coarse room, and wash, iron and cook, as you
! say-if had to spend every moment of my time
in hard toll, with no prospect from my window
but brick sidewalk, or dirty lane, such flow
or as this would be untold happiness to me-"