The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-03-15
Young Folks.
The story Of a Clover Blossom.
ny AMELIA Il. DALEY.

with pink, blushing petals, fragrant
white lilies, and many other flowers.
They nodded to each other in the morn.
ing air, and seemed very happy. Pink
Glover thought they were beautiful,
and looked at her own dress as we'll as
she could.
"Am l like you ?" she said to large
clover that grew near her.
This clover had been in existence
three days, and her blossoms were be.
ginning to turn brown on top, but sho
did not know IL. She nodded her head
to the young clover, and said, "Just
like me, only as you have not lived as
long as l have, you cannot have 80
much sense"
"Is my head turning brown ?" said
Pink Clover.
"No," answered the other, "you are
quite pink and fresh. We clovers pre-
serve our beauty long time" And
she Strengthened herself, and shook a
drop of dew of one of her leaves.
Pink Clover thought it very strange
that the other did not know she was
fading; but she said nothing, for fear
of giving offense.
| The door of the cottage was opened,
and little girl came out and ran down
the walk. Her eyes were as blue as vi
olets, her hair shone like corn silk, and
her cheeks were as pink as the roses.
She wore white frock, and long blue
sash. She ran to the flower beds and,
began to pick the flowers. Her mother
came stood and in the doorway. "Gath-
er the most beautiful, "she said.
Pink Glover watched the child as she
went from flower to flower. She
thought she would not like to be pluck
ed from her stem, and wither away.
She leaned forward and whispered to
the rose that grew near her, "Why do
you not resist Your thorns are long
and sharp"
"We do not bloom for ourselves I"
answered the rose; "we are made to
give pleasure to man, and when we are
gathered, though we droop and die, our
mission is fulfilled"
| Pink Glover was silent. She wished
the little girl would pluck her also, that
she might gladden. human heart but
the child passed her by and took the
beautiful rose.
"No one thinks much of clover bios.
SONS" said tuft of grass, "or of the
grasses, but the same hand made us
all.n
1--WE too have our work." said the
old clover who had spoken before;
"whole countries would be desolate
without us. We make glad the waste
places"
The little girl had gone into the
house, but she soon came out again,
bearing her flowers. Her mother came
with her. They got into little wagon
that ratified up to the gate. The child's
father stood by the wagon.
"We had better take some grass with
us for the horse to eat" said the moth
er; "cut that close to the gate"
The man brought scythe and did as
she told him. He cut down Pink Clio.
yer, too. The back of the wagon was
filled with grass the father took his
seat, and Pink Glover found herself 60
ing to the great city.
"But only for horse to eat, she said
to herself.
The wagon rolled on and reached the
city. 1t jolted over the stones of the
streets, and tossed Pink Clover quite
high in the air sometimes. Every
thing around looked so dirty that she
wondered how any one could want to
live there. The little girl wondered too,
but her father told her they would soon
come to pleasanter streets, and would
see many beautiful houses.
at length, in turning corner, the
wagon jolted so hard that poor Pink |
Clover, when she was tossed up, did
not come down on the grass again, but
right in the dirty street. No one saw
her fall. She lay there, and the wagon
passed out of sight. "Not even to be
eaten by horse" she sighed. "Imust
wither, and be trampled ON by careless
feet"
Several hours passed, and the little
bunch of clover lay fading in the street.
The hot sun beat down upon her the
dust blew over her; but she had not
been stepped on.
A boy passed along the street. His
clothes were clean, though patched and
old. He looked sadly down as he walk
ed. When he reached the corner where
Pink Glover lay he saw her. His face
frightened he stopped and picked her
up. "Poor little blossom" he said, and
walked on holding her tightly in his
hand.
He turned out of that street into one
still narrower and dirtier. He entered
wretched house, passed up the stairs,
and went into small room. 1t was
clean, but very scantily furnished. A
sick girl was lying in the bed asleep.
Her hands were SO thin that every blue
vein in them was visible. Her moth.
er was bending over her. When the
boy entered she raised her head.
"How is sister," he asked.
"She is easier now" answered the
mother, "but she has been suffering
very much. She longs for pure air. III
she could have that she would live.
The boy held up the bunch of clover
blossoms. 81 found it in the street, "he
said; sit seems like my poor sister fad
ing away in the close city. 1 will re.
vive 1t if can"
He placed Pink Glover in a glass of
cool water, and set the glass on the ia.
BILE. He sprinkled some drops of water
over her, and she felt herself beginning
to revive. She held up her head, and
her fragrant breath stole in the room.
Soon the sick girl opened her eyes,
and saw the little blossoms. She held
out her hands towards them, and her
mother gave them to her. She inhaled
their perfume, and glad light came
into her eyes.