The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-01
evening State journal.
SATURDAY EVEN,Cf. MARCH /, 1877
Little strawberry. blossom.

wood, hidden away from the sunlight by
o wilderness of lady-ferns, there grew Q
little strawberry blossom. Its broad
leaves spread themselves out luxuriantly
enough, but the solitary white flower was
stunted and insignificant. The tall ferns
and the foxgloves, growing around, rarely
noticed the poor little pale thing.
1T seems hardly worth while" the
Foxglove would say, ''to have so many
leaves for such q small flower, and it takes
up deal Of room." And the Lady-ferns
quite agreed with her.
When remarks of this kind reached the
little Strawberry-blossom's ear, she felt
wounded and sad, for she could not help
her own existence.
Pardon me, beautiful Foxglove," she
would say. II did not plant myself; l
dare say shall soon shrivel up and be out
Of your way. | wonder why grew at
all, !" she thought "it's very dark and lone
", and nobody wants me ~
One day child came and gathered an
armful of fresh, green lady-ferns, and
then at last bright sunbeam found its
way in, through the break in the fern-for-
est, and lighted on the head of the tiny
flower, making it glisten like dew-drop on
apearl.
love you, little Strawberry-blossom
love YOU" whispered the Sunbeam but
the poor little flower had lived so long I'M
sought and unloved that she could not
believe it.
Not me, kind Sunbeam, !" she said, 'not
me surely it is the Foxglove-the queen
Of the woods-that you love, with her
splendid crimson bells, or the lovely wild
rose climbing BY"
"No little Strawberry-blossom," an.
swered the Sunbeam sit is you that l
love, you are so gentle and retiring. had
come every day, and stay with you all day
longp'
.'Lsten to the Sunbeam making love to
little Strawberry-blossom !" said the Fox
glove to Lady-fern isn't it ridiculous I?
Her poor little head will be turned" And
even the sweet grasses and moss growing
close round her laughed mockingly.
But she was too happy to heed them.
All the long, hot summer day the Sunbeam
stayed with her; and when he said good
night he promised to return the next morn
ing. In the night Glow-worm passing
by stopped to speak to her.
"Oh, Glow-worm, said she, ~ am so
happy. A Sunbeam has come-a real,
beautiful Sunbeam land he says he loves
me, though am such tiny flower. And
he's coming again tomorrow ~
Hum" said the Glow-worm, who had
seen good deal of life, don't make too
sure of that. The Sunbeam is a great
traveller, and travellers are not always to
be depended upon; they go here and there,
and forget all about the last place they Wis
ited."
"But he said he would come ~ said
little Strawberry blossom ''and he is so
great and good I think he will keep his
word"
"Well,o said the Glow-worrn, 81 don't
know much of him; | am more intimate
with his cousins, the Moonbeams. l only
wished to speak word of friendly warn.
ing. My advice to you is to 60 to sleep
and forget all about him."
And little Strawberry. blossom went to
sleep and dreamed bright. happy dream.
But, behold! next morning, when she
woke, it was even duller and darker than
usual; no Sunbeam was there. In truth,
it was raining heavily, and the drops
battered through the fern fronds all round
her head. But she did not know it was
rain. Kind leaves" she said, "are YOU
weeping ior me a. "h!ca tney all
iaugneo' ,., ca, :,
I, NO, no, Httie 3traWperry-oiossom,"
tney salu we we, ooh:e waste our tears on
sucn poor SHY tslng as you. va you
,eaily shlilk your me VISITOR would come
DaGk
Lttle SLrawoeTIy-olossom was heart-
broken. ohe could not see beyond her
green canopy, ana aid not know that the
pun was even tnen Struggling hard with me
CLOUDS. Az iasl ne Durst ioftn IN all ms
glory ana spiehaor lne raln-arops caught
tne rays as ihey passed, ana there rose
over over the WOOD .,, Woharous arcn OF colorea
nent. Lttle StIawoerry-oloSsom couid