The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-15
A Danish AllegOry.
TnE LANerAeE oF FIowERs.

n young married couple We're walking
down a country lane. 1t was peaceful
and sunny morning in autumn, and the
last of their honeymoon.
"Why are you so silent and thought
ful ?' asked the young, beautiful wife.
"Do you already long for the city and
its turmoil? Are you weary of my
love? You regret, / fear, that you have
renounced your busy life yOnder, and
consented to live only for me and our
happiness ?D
He kissed her forehead, which she
tenderly raised up to him. She received
no other answer whatever.
"What can you miss here ?" she con-
tinued. "Can all the others together
love you more than myself? Do 1 not
suffice? We are rich enough, so that
you need not work; but if you abso-
lutely must do something-well, then,
write romances and read them to me
alone"
The young man again replied with a
kiss. He then stepped across the ditch
into n studded-field, and picked up a
straw, left by the cleaners. 1t was an
unusually fine and large straw, yet
attached to its root and entwined by the
withered stalks of a parasitical plant,
upon which a single little flower might
be discerned.
" a0 lilAl very EdIt mower YOU
found ?'' asked the little lady.
No; it was a common bind-weed.n
"a bind-weed ?i'
"Yes, that is the vulgar name. The
bOtanists call it CoRuOltuI1ts oTUe1lsis.
The peasantry name it fOXvines, i'm some
localities it is called tangleweed." He
paused and gaZed thoughtfully on the
straw.
"Pray, what interesting thing is it,
then, that you have discovered ,"
''it is romance"
"a romance? ?p
''Yes-Or a parable, if you like"
'Is ii in the flower ?"
Eyes; the flower and the straw"
PLEASE tell me the story about it,"
"But it is sad one"
mo matter for that; I should like to
hear it very much"
She seated herself on the edge of the
grassy bank; her husband did the same
close at her side, and told the story of
the straw:
"At the outer edge of a barley-field,
near the ditch of the highway, grew a
young, vigorous barley-shOOt 1t was
taller, stronger, aud darker than the
Others; it could look over the whole field.
"The first thing it noticed was little
violet. 1t stood beyond over the other
edge of the ditch, and peered through
the grass with its innocent azure ewes.
The sun shone, and the balmy wind
breathed over towards the field from the
road, where the violet grew. The young
straw rocked itself in spring-air and
spring-dreams. To reach one another
was out of the question; they did not
even think about it. The violet was a
pretty little flower, but it clung to earth
and soon disappeared among the grass.
The barley, ON the contrary, shot up
higher and higher each day; but the
dark green shoot still above all the rest
II rejoiced already in long, full ear be-
fore any of the others had commenced to
show their boards.
"All the surrounding flowers looked
up TO the gallant ear of barley. The
scarlet poppy blushed yet deeper red,
whenever it swung over il. The corn
flower madeit aroma still more piquant
than usual, and the Haunting yellow
field-cabbage expanded its one bold
flower. By and by the barley straw
blossomed in its manner It swayed
ABOUT now here, now there in the
Dailny atmosphere; sometimes bending
over the cOrn-fiower, at times over the
poppy, and then over the tare and wild
teld-cabbage; but when it had peered
down in their chalices, it swung back
again, Strengthened up, and thought.
You are but lot of weeds, after all'
but in the grass, at the ditch, -four
1shed bind-weed, with its small, leafy
Vinesi IL bore delicate snowy and rose
colored flowers and emitted n delicate
fragrance. To that the barley-straw bent
longingly down:
You gallant straw it smiled, bend
yet lower, that l may embrace you with
my leaves and flowers
The straw essayed to do il, with its
best will, but in vain.
cannot it sighed; 'but come 10
me- lean on me and cling to me, and /
Will raise you above all the proud poppies
ana conceited corn-fiowers.,
IL, ! nave never had any ambition to
co,ssta IIoe al the world, but you have been nv
ana 't.s.i. ~. .am uIeam ever since was budding,
syvard n. "a SSur ,i sake will leave the green
ooro,o.t ana all the little flowers. in Whose
cohl lpahy grew We will t,,-ira !" ,IS,,.
serves together, and flov-ar IN, IN Jul tI
each other o"er alohe for
mus said the bind-woea o,,s
stretched its tendrils into The f;ai,d A'IH
ciung Uenderly to the straw and 80, ~
TWIN lts green leaves and modest ea's'
ers up to its topmost blade now
III was beautiful sight. The tuo
seemed TO suit each other TO narfao.sNo eMo
The straw felt now really Droud a,'d J.lph: 10
up higher and higher. ''''0 siio'
ado you wish to leave me-? sighed
the weed.
"'Are you dizzy already?' smiled the
straw.
"fStay with me-eling to me. Why
do you rise higher@
"eBeeause ! must. 1t is my nature
"'But it is not mine
"FOllOw me, if you love me-
"N'Ou won't stay? ] know now that
YOU do not love me any more
"And the weed loosened its tender
arms, and sank to the earth; but the