Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-12-31
= Little Story fer the Nurserx.

BY HENRY WARD BEECHEI
The sun was going down upon Florence
as she sat with her mother upon the vcrnu-
dab, and her face was sad, though the sun
light fell upon it.
Mother, I am sorry that I ever had any
thing to do with Mary Arlington
"Why SO. my child %
because she only uses my kindness for
her own seltishness. [ have helped her in
her lessons, and got her off when she was
IN trOable with her teacher, Miss Atkins,
aud you know let Miss Atkins think that
had broke the rules rather than that she
should be exposed. And she has never
thanked me. And [ know that she says
hateful things about the behind my back
[ am tired of being kind to her, and get
ting nothing for it but her selliahuess.
"Well, my dear, did you act kindly for
the sake of getting something back for it ?
Ought we not to act generously for our
own sake, even more than for others
sake ?"
81 don't see any use in being generous
| when it only makes people worse"
''But our master ssys: 'if ye lOve Them
that love you qchat REGARD Tor merit haze
yc? DO not euen the pu6licaas the sane?'-
1t is very pleasant to receive kindness for
kindness. But no one is acting as Chris
| tan that is not willing to show kindness
and self denial to those who are ungrateful
and selfish"
Northing more was said at this time
Florence had the matter upon her heart
all the evening, and was glad when bed
time came, that she might sleep off all her
troubles.
She soon fell asleep and began to dream.
Now, Greenland is Fairyland. All man
FER of queer people are moving about in
Dreamland, and very remarkable things
happen there. Florence had gone to sleep
without shutting her chamber window,
and the wind must have been little cool
for she dreamed that the snow lay all up
on the ground. And she saw man with
breast sowing some kind Of seeds. 1t
seemed very strange to her to see him
casting seed on snow, and SO she dreamed
that she asked him, ''Will the seed come
up in the snow?"
| When he heard her, he turned his face,
and she thought she never saw a farmer
with SO noble a countenarce. His eyes
were large and sad, and yet there was also
look in them of calm hopefulness.
1--WE SOW our grass seed upon the snow,
in hopes that by-and-bye the snow will
melt, and then the seed, sprouted by it,
MOISTURE will come'up." And then fixing
his eyes gently upon her, as if he woulG
mark the effect of his words, he said
''They who in this world would SOW the
seed Of goodness must do as we farmers
dc, and often SOW upon the bosom O.
snow" She awoke-so plainly did hi
voice sound in Ter ears. Rising, she closed
the window, and again fell asleep.
In short time she began dreaming
more strangely than before.
Che Oh cow, - ,oo. xua-o
who was living upon piece of very hare
and rocky ground trying to plant Thereon
some flower seed. But every time sh'
opened her hand the wind seemed to put
them away. At last, when her seed were
almost gone, Florence thought what hae
seemed to be the wind began to look lik,
birds, and little by little they changed t.
beautiful spirits; and she saw that they
caught in their hands the seed that would
have fallen on the rock, and threw it up
ward and the seed seemed to fly up ant
up, till it was all gone out of sight.
While she stood looking up she though
that the skies opened and she looked
through, and saw those beautiful spirit
planting the very seeds that had been cas-
forth out of the palsied hand of the poo
old woman. No sooner did they touch tn
ground than they sprang up again into al
manner OF beautiful 1OWeFS-mOro Ueau
tiful hundred times than any lilies O.
roses or jessamines that she had ever seer
on earth.
As she stood admiring the wonderful
sight, she turned and saw the very same
person by her side that had been sowing
grass seed on snow. But now he was
clothed radiantly, as if the brightest clouds
had been made into garments and hi!
face, that was beautiful before, seemed tC
her more beautiful than all the flowers. -
Then he looked very kindly upon her, anG
said "My dear child, do you not see thai
only here and there seed fell to the
ground and came up, but that all the resi-
went on and were planted in Heaven ?
So it is with kindness among men. The
earth catches few only of the seeds o.
kindness sown, but all the rest go through
and are planted in Heaven. And sc
nothing good is ever lost"
At this he laid his hand upon her head
and such thrill ran through her bod,
that she sprung and awoke. Her nothe
it was who had touched her, saying
Come, Florence, it is morning. The
birds are all calling you. Come
New York Ledger.