Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-05-09
The Faded Flower.

or three flowers for my sister Annie ?"
said little boy, who stopped at the gate
as l was gathering flowers one morning
1t was so common to hsYe requests of
this kind made by children. that without
taking much notice of the lite boy, I be-
gan to break off some of the flowers
which were nearest me, to give him.
Flowers that smell sweet. if you please.
ma'am," said the child. annie would
rather have one flower that smells sweet
than a whole handful of other flowers"
"And why does she love the sweet
smelling flowers go much, my boy ?" l
asked.
"Oh Annie is very sick, and she can
hardly swallow anything now, but she
longs to smell the flowers. She always
loved flowers dearly; but she has never
seen one since we moved to this village"
How old is your sister Annie?" l
asked.
L am eight years old, and she is older
than 1, answered the boy. L suppose
she is about ten.'
And where do you live 2
In Palmer's Rents, ma'am; the back
room up stairs in the third house,
l made up bunch of two or three
roses, some fragrant carnations, and sweet
mignionette; these gave the little boy,
telling him that would come down
towards evening and see his sister. +
1t was really pleasant to see clean
room in 'Palmer's Rents which was
row of brick houses. inhabited for the
most part hy poor and dirty people. On
a neat bed lay little Annie, thin and pale,
beside her, on the stand, was my bunch
of flowers.
ANNIE said her mother. this is the
lady who sent you the beautiful flowers
this morning. ~ -
A smile came over the face of the sick
child as, raising her full blue eyes, she
said, slowly and painfully:
oh, how much good they have done
me. ma'am %
DO you love flowers so dearly, Anniep
'Oh, yes, ma'am.'
Her mother told me that when they
lived in the country, Annie had little
garden of her own. and loved to water the
sweet flowers; that early in the spring
Annie's father had been killed while
blasting rocks, and they had been oblig
ed to leave their pretty place, and come
into the town, where she might get work
to support her children.
Annie never complains, said her
mother, though it is different here from
our other home; but she has ionged so
to smell the flowers, that / told Willie
this morning that he must go up the
street. and see if some lady would give
him three or four flowers for her.
How | wish he had come to me be-
fore,' said |; and now, Annie, you must
send your little brother to me every day,
for the flowers will lose some of their fra
GRANGE after being gathered day, and
you shall have the sweetest ones that
bloom in my garden"
i love the flowers whispered Annie,
because they seem to tell NE of the
goodness of God.'
And do you love God, Annie p
oh, yes, ma'am, am sure l do; and
the sweet flowers make me think how
good he is to make everything so beauti-
full. ! should like to live to do some
thing for him.
But, Annie. if'God chooses that you
should die now, trust that you will pray
for grace to submit to his will. You can
show your mother, and your little broth
ers and sisters, and those persons who
come in to see you. how God can support
you III slChDeSS anu paul. anu even III
death; and perhaps you can do as much
good that way as by living many years.
God orders all that happens, and be al
ways does right -.-s'' e.
Thank you for those words, ma'am.-
am willing to die
For two mornings Willie came up for
the flowers for his sister Annie; but the
third morning he did not come. and as |
began to feel anxious, walked down to
'Palmer's Rents The flowers were
bright and beautiful by little Annie's
bedside; but she who loved them so dear
ly was blooming. as l trust in Heaven. L
saw her once more in her coffins Her
mother had placed a faded bunch of
flowers in her hand, fit emblem of one
who had withered and fallen so early. As
looked upon her, these words came to
nv mind: "All flesh is grass. and all the
goodness therof is as the flower of the
field. The grass withereth, the flower
fadeth; but the Word of God shall stand
forever" r- .----