True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-10-14
THE FLOWER.
BY HOWARD IRVING. /.


| am about 10 tell thee tale, dear
reader, that hope shall move thee to
pity, and teach thee lesson Of kindness
and love. Wouldst thou hear Il p
Wouldst thou learn the lesson it con.
tains Read
There was flower that bloomed in
rich gentlemen's greenhouse. "Twas
the brightest aud sweetest flower there,
so delicate, so modest and yet SO beauti-
ful, so lovely. You may not fiud more
handsmoe flower than this in any place
where flowers grow at all. This flower
always looked bright, whether the sun
shone scorchingly upon it, or whether
his rays were entirely intercepted by
clouds in all weathers it bloomed alike |;
in sunshine or in showers. it still flung
its fragrance to the breeze. When the
sky was clear and hot, and all other flow
ers were parched and withered. this
flower but loof ed the brighter for the
contrast; and when it was dark and
lowering, its perfume was diffused the
more abundanlly around. And yet it
was a delicate fower-a rude breath
would cause the tear to stand in the eye,
and careless touch would cause it to wi,l.-
er and pine for long while in sadness.
In every respect was the flower perfect.
But, ah change. mournful change
came DER the lovely flower. The gar
dener had placed the flower in the open
air, to enjoy the sun, and that his rays
might dispel the chills which crept over
them in The night. He set this plant a.
part from the rest. and in more favora.
bic situation, and by some unhappy mis-.
chance il escaped his memory when he
removed the others to their original warm
and sheltered places in the green house.
All I pale grew the flower when the even.
ing damps came on. The cold dew fell
gently, very gently. upon it, but its touch
was more than its delicate senses could
bear; and, shivering with the cold, it turn
ed its eye once more to heaven, then,
slowly, witheriug away, it sank so gent.
ly 10 rest that one would have thought it
was but taking its accustomed slumber,
after being rocked by the zephyrs to
sleep. But when the gardener came, in
the morning, to visit his flower, be found
this, the loveliest Of them all, dead upon
the ground outside. II had persisted
through neglect!
Wouldst thou know that flowers name,
reader! Itwas affection! for l have but
spoken in parallels affection, the love-
liest flower adorning the soNtof man. The
human heart is like the greenhouse. filled
with rare exo,ics, and bearing the divine
impress and stamp Of their Creator. God.
The flowers TINT grow there are Faith,
Hope, Charity. Gentleness, Goodness,
Meekness. Long.sufering Peace, and
Joy hut the sweetest of them is Love !
Oh, man oh, woman tamper not with
affection for it is in all respects like tho
Aower,-it blooms alike in all weathers.
and is ever constant in its object; but a
single breath may bring a tear to its eye,
and and an unkind touch may cause il to
droop and wither for long time.. Ifthou
knowest one that loves thee, oh speak
not harshly to him, for now the heart is
thine, and with care and kinkness thou
mayest keep it thine, but harsh word
is like the vulture that tortured Romelhe-
US Vinctus.-it may prey on his vitals
forever. A heart filled with affection, If
met with coldness and scorn, repulsed,
must have something 10 love, and will
turn upon, and live in and for itself,
Coldness and disdain will triumph and
reign there and however calm and com.
posed the exterior may seem, like the
flower, it will sink gently down TO the
cold earth, and will perish through neg
lect. Oh, then, be careful how you tam
per with affection, for il is the fairest,
the sweetest flower ever implanted IN
the breast.