Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-01-20

contented words. Bending suddenly to
ward me, she took me in her little hand
almost as white and perfumed as you
sister, added the tulip, be nding toward
the rose, who blushed deeply II was a
supreme moment foF me; felt myself
dying, when a sudden and brisk sensa.
ton was succeeded by Inconsistencies
Of everything. The hand which loved
had violently broken me from the stalk,
and recovered from my swoon only to
iind myself in the midst Of you
"And the tulip bowed her head, alb.
sorbed in the memories Of the past.
Sisters, sisters | cried, surprised and
troubled, Of what do you speak, and
what signify those strange workshops
sion and love, sky aud azure, golden
beams. balmy breeze aud amorous but.
terAy2 is there. then, another world
than this in which whe are imprisoned,
another life than this in which we live :
Speak o, speak, tell me where is that
land of love, where You know your
beauty, where you are told Of il at eve.
"The flowers smiled, and the hello
trope turning her lovely and odorous
petals towards me, whispered some
words which / could not understand
From the midst Of a crystal glass,
some short distance from me, sweet
cluster Of mignoueiie gracefully ar
ranged, began TO speak in turn.
90, sister. said she, in a sweet and
mournful voice, why these lamenia-
tions, why these regrets2 Is not our
mission here TO please and 10 perfume,
TO die exhaling our sweetest odors2
What matters it whether we give them to
the evening winds or shed them in the
warm atmosphere OF a lady's boudoir2
The breeze iorgets ns; the inconstant
butterfly laughs at us; too ardent kiss
of the sun withers aud destroys us !;
night chills us and gives us death. SIS
ters, murmur then no more; away with
those vain and foolish compIaints2 You
are all beautiful and filed with perfume; !;
scatter your sweet odors freely, without
caring whom they may attract Let
them ascend TO Him who has created
u.s. and who has a glance Of leve for
each. Should yeu be robbed Of life and
color before the time what matterl II
you have been loved and your perfume
inhaled for moment--if for a moment
pair of rosy lips has bent down to
kiss you-if for a moment you have
rested on maiden's bosom-be salts.
fed your destiny is fulfilled; you have
lived
"The mignonette ceased, and fra
grant odoF, which drank in with de
light, was waited toward me. was ra
diant with pride. | gracefully moved
ny white petals, my leaves shone with
a more vivid green, aud, in turn, spoke.
81 know not, said ], what is the
breeze, nor what is the love the butterfly
can feel. Never have | lived, like We,
ia the open air, abandoned and uncared
for. Born here, can form but vague
idea OF the pleasures which you seem to
regret. Nevertheless, if have rightly
understood what the mignonette has
said, you wish to be considered beautiful
and love to hear it said. You wish to
exhale the rich and lovely perfumes
which God has placed in you, that il
you attract by your beauty, you may
hold by your sweet odors. But dis
tant remembrance, feeling of mine
when was only bud, and which has
just been awakened within nae, reminds
me that this evening these lusters will
shine with glorious light, and that in
their glare Young and beauteous danes
will come TO behold our beauty and
inhale our perfumes. Come, then,
sweet and co4nettsh rose, opsn out your
calyx; melancholy and sentimental ane
none, lift up your pale and languid
head proud and ardent tulip, this eve
you shall behold her whom you love; be
beautiful, heiiotrope, dif'use your per
fumes; tender mignonette, inhaie them
from your nsterless flowers; chaste and
timid violet, hide yourself no longer be-
meath your green leaves; sweet petaled
jacinth lift up your stalk laden with
white flowers. Be beautifnl, be lavish
Of your perfumes; you will all be loved
this eve
q had spoken inspiredlyi !, ball
flower an aristocratic and worldly
hQwer, who am especially beautiful in
woman tresses, or in her festive bou.
quet. had OWNED the lot which
awaited me, and for which the God Of
woman and of flowers had created me.
Scarcely beginning life, ! was already
proud and eoquettsh.
" At my sympathetic voice the flowers
we're moved. Poor aowersl how a word
agtates them, and makes them tremble
The sweet and seductive thought that ut
eve they would adorn ch9rming browa
and perfume the air, had made them
fresher and more brilliant, aud there
could be heard naught but the soft muir
murs OF their leaves and petals, prepar-
ing their toilet for the ball The sound
Of some young feminine voices made us
tremble with joy; twas moment of
indescribable rapture The door Of the
apartment was thrown open with a
great clalter, and four young girls, with
arms filed with our darling sisters, EN-
tered, gay and laughing, singing sweet
refrain.
O, heavenl cried the rose, turning
pale. new eaptiyesl What is going to
become Of usY
I" was trembling with emotion. The
young girls approached the magnificent
vase in which were the anxious flowers
One Of them grasped them all in her two
little hands, looked at them moment
with a pout Of contempt, and then at her
friends They are withered. said She
then going towards the window, she
threw them to the winds, which scattered
them far and wide, never to meet again.
How many things in the world end
thus
The Girl Next Door that Sings.
From the Detroit Free Press.l
We moved lately. Before We were