Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-07-16
SILENT TEACHERS.

SILENT TEACHERS.
"Whatl another flower, Tom; is
not your window-sill full already?"
"They don't eat nor drink, bless
'cm, and it does me and my wife good
to look at 'em." 1t was but u passing
bit Of conversation that heard, and
yet it set mo thinking. Tho man
with q fower-pot in his arm was a
rough-no,.s shall not say "rough"-
he was sturdy son of toll, and l was
amused to hear his fervcnt blessing
on tho flowers. His acquaintance,
who had expressed surprise at anoth-
CIR flower in TOMS possession, had
pulled short pipe out of his mouth
when he spoke; and no doubt his
love of tobacco cost him much more
than Toms lovo Of flowers. Then as
to tho gain. The smoker would gain
dry, hot mouth, a foul breath, yel-
low teeth, sallow skin, dull eyes,
drowsincss and Observation-Disclosures what
his pipe would do for him, even if he
did not drink. But Tom with the
flower would refresh its eyes with it's
bloom, and his smell with its sweet
ness, and he would adorn lis window
with Its beauty, and gladden. his wife
and his children by bringing them
such a pretty gift. What innocent
delight would they nll feel in looking
at it And moro than that, they
would learn something from the flow
! CT. 1t would tell thcra of the wisdom
and love Of God how lie sent these
beautiful flowers into tho world to
please the eye Of man:
"To comfort man. to whisper hope,
Whene'er his faith grows dim,
For who 80 careth for the flowers
| Will much more care for him.
! I think flowers teach neatness and
order. The wife and children like to
have clean room, SO that the flower
in it's purity and grace, may not
shame them. And then, too, q poor
man likes to feel that he has an or
namcnt in his dwelling similar to that
which rich man chooses rs the best
establishment of his drawing-room
The cottage and the mansion differ
very much in structure and in furni-
| I'm sr1o 70
may all resemble the other, but n
pretty flower, carefully watcrcd and
tended, often blooms us w9n in a cot
tagc as in q palace window.
I know a little bit Of cottage out
side a town. 1t stands in a nook
by the roadside, and has no view but
that of yard where carts are kept;
but in the window of that humble
dwelling there are somo fuchsias.
They make q pretty screen, that
shuts out all ugly sights, and shuts
into tho room graceful dropping
blooms, hanging like jewels among
the green leaves. The floor of the
cot is of red brick, and so are the
steps outside the door; but I notice
as pass how clean are those bricks
and what glow Of neatncss and com
, fort they present. And tho wooden
, chairs are bright and so are the brass
candlcsticks over the mantcl-shclf
, That clear window, with its lovely
clustering flowers, at which people
look az they go by, has given the
| dwellcrs in that cottage an honest
pride in their dwelling; the flower.
have brought their own purity will
G them. and taught it to their owners
And when little Johnny and Mary
8 learn to take care of flowers, ant
r have ono Of their own given them
: l think they cease to be destructive
. and careless. They know that rougl
: handling or neglect will injure ant
: kill their flower; 80 their hands learr
f gentlcness Of touch, and they grow
8 wrtchful over their favorite. One
d conquer the thoughtlcssness an.
n roughness of a girl or boy, by givin!
n them something to tsko caro- of an,
8 attend to, and you have put them il
II tho way of being dilligent and use
d full.
81 remember ono evening meeting, i
- the Harrow road, woman whom
70 knew. She had her baby In her arm
q and big bundle beside, and she wa
+ hurrying on 80 fast that I said, wit
% some concern, as passed, her., "Mr
s. Gibbs, is anything the matter that yo
'r' are In such hasteP". e.. ..r g., az
' "Nothing, please; but Tn bavin
20 the front of our house painted dow
10 and forgot to tell the man not I
- hurt our bit of ivy."i = ~ a.3.' '.'i
= OF course did not detain' her i