The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-06-05
THE TEA ROSE.

There it stood, in its little g1een vase,
on a light ebony stand, in the window
of the drawing-room The rich satin
curtains, with their costly fringes, swept
down on either side of it, and around
it glittered every rare and fanciful trihe
which wealth can offer to luxury, and
yet that simple rose was the fairest of
them all. So pure it looked, its white
leaves just touched with that delicious,
creamy tint peculiar to its kind its cup
so full, so perfect; its head bending as
if it were siuling and melting away in
its own richness-ohl when did ever
man make anything to equal the living
perfect fower
Bot the sunlight that streamed
through the window revealed something
fairer than the rosa young lady re-
clining on an ottoman, who was thus
addressed by her livelier cousin. 81
say, cousin, have been thinking what
You are to do with your pet rose when
you 90 to New York, as to our conster-
nation you are determined to do; you
know it would be a sad pity to leave it
with such a scatter-brain as I am.
love flowers indeed; that is, I like a
regular bouquet, cut off and tied up, to
carry to a party but as to all this tend
ing and fussing, which Is needfuI to keep
them growing, [ have no gifts in that
line.
Make yourself easyas to that, Kate, :"
said Florence with a smile; &c I have no
intention of calling upon your talents;
I have an asylum in view for my favor
ite."
"Oh, then you know just what was
going to say. Mrs. Marshall, I pre-
sumo, has been speaking to you; she
was here yesterday, and I.was quite pa
thetie upon the subject, telling her the
loss your favorite would sustain, and so
forth; and she said how delighted she
would be to have it in her green house,
it is in such fine state now, so full of
buds. I told her 1 knew you would
like to give it to her, you are so fond of
Mrs. Marshall, you know"
"Now, Kate, 1 am sorry, but I have
otherwise engaged it.
''Who can it be? you have so few in
Inmates here"
"Oh, it is only one of my odd fan
cies.
''But do tell me, Florence"
Well, cousin, you know the little
pale girl to whom we give sewing?"
''What little Mary Stephens? How
absurd, Florencel This is just another
of your motherly, old-maidish ways,
dressing dolls for poor children, MAX
ing bonnets and knitting socks for all
the little dirty babies in the neighbor-
hood. I do believe you have made
more calls in those two vile, ill-smelling
alleys behind our house, than ever you
have in Chestnut street, though you
know everybody is half dying to see
you and now, to crown all, you must
give this choice little bijou to n seam
stress-girl, when one of your most inti-
mate friends, in your own class, would
value it so highly What in the world
can people in their circumstances want
with flowers? ?"
''Just the same as I do, 3" replied Flor
ence, calmly. Have you not noticed
that little girl never comes here without
looking wistfully at the opening buds?
And don't you remember, the other
morning she asked me SO prettily if I
would let her mother come and see it,
she was so fond of fowers?"
"But, Florence, only think of this
rare flower standing on a table with
ham, eggs, cheese, and -four, and stified
in that close little room where Mrs.
Stephens and her daughter manage to
wash, iron, and cook.
''Well, Kate, and if I were obliged
to live in one coarse room, and wash,
and iron, and cook, as you say if had
to spend every moment of my time in
toll, with no prospect from my window
but brick wall and dirty lane, such a
flower as this would be untold enjoy
ment to me-
"Pshaw, Florence all sentiment
/ Poor people have no time to be senti-
mental. Besides, I don't believe it will
I grow with them; it is a greenhouse
flower, and used to delicate living"
"Oh, as to that, flower never in.
quires whether its owner is rich or poor;
and Mrs. Stephens, whatever else she
has not, has sunshine of as good quality
as this that streams through our win
dow. The beautiful things that Goo
makes are his gifts to all alike. You
VIII see that my fair rose viii be as vel
and cheerful in Mrs. Stephens room a,
IN ours.
''Wen, after all, how oddl WheI
one gives to poor people, one wants t
give something useful-a bushel Of po
tatoes, ashams and such things.
Why certainly, potatoes and han
must be supplied but having minister
ed to the first and most craving wants
Why not add any other little pleasures
or qualification we may have 1t in ou
power to bestow2 I know there ar,
many Of the poor who have fine feeling
and n keen sense Of the beautiful, whicl
rusts ont and dies because they are too
hard pressed to procure it sny gratiica
tion. Poor Mrs. Stephens, for example
know she would enjoy birds, and flow
ers, and music as much as do. I hav,
seen her eye light mp as size looked upoi
these things in our drawing-rooms anC
yet not one beautiful thing can sh'
command From necessity, her room