American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-02-19

robes of red and yellow, and it was good
| to be ont of doors. And SO the children
played, and sang, and whistled, and went
around and around the flower beds; and
did not think of going in the house until
it was time for dinner.
But the best thing of all was when
mamma herself came out, and be-
gan to look on too, seeking out her pet
plants, and encouraging Dennis with her
cheerful words.
Halloa! here's mamma" cried Tom,
hugging her, and feeling proud that he
was getting so tall. Isn't II a jolly day?
And see what lots Dennis has done al
ready"
late.''
Bell ran in holding out her little hands
full of flowers, and nearly fell into one o
the big holes which Dennis had made
We shall have plenty of bouquets to-
day, mamma" Carrie said, who had her
hands full, too. Dennis will cut them
all off! He does such queer things,' she
added softly, as the old man bent over
plant on the opposite side Of the wall.
Mamma smiled, and they all watched,
while Dennis dug carefully around the
plant, and lifted tito put it in the pot. 1t
was a delicate, beautiful thing. and the
gardener said, stAhl" and patted the earth
around it, as if he were very proud of it.
Then he slipped it into the pot, and began
pushing the stray roots in theirplaces and
covering them with more earth.
"Oh, Dennisr" cried Carrie, who had
watched him treating several others in
the same way, and could not bear it any
longer, what makes you pinch. the roots
SOP 1 should think you'd hurt the poor
things"
The old man looked up at her, and then
looked down again, and laughed in his
queer little way.
Hurt ity, he said; "hurt my beauty
Not bit of it! Don't you fear, MissI
know the flowers, and they know me-"
Carrie looked a little indignant, while
the others smiled at Dennis, who lifted
the delicate sprays with his rough fingers
and talked to the plant as if it were q
creature that could understand him.
:" Hurt you, hey? Don't knoso better?
Ycu'H come up all right and be giving
'em fine flowers all winter.
Then, as if suddenly remembering his
work, he began to fill up the pot and press
the earth down with the same rough fin
gers that had touched the leaves so ten
derby. Mamma noticed the look on Car
rie's face, aid she said to the gardener,
as he stood one plant in the shade and be-
gan his work upon another, Perhaps
Dennis will tell you why il is that he
treats the roots in that way. lam surebe
Tom glanced shyly up in his mothers
face as if he thought she knew all about
it herself, but was going to give Dennis
chance TO talk.
And little Bell took occasion, while
they were all talking to see how far she
could reach her hand into one of the holes
from which plant had been taken.
.. Yes, ma'am, to be sure Right
enough! Would be letting the roots
run about, any way they please, when l
know the best way for 'em to go? So
Just pack 'em close in their places, and
pinch 'em, as Miss Carrie says, to keep
them there, and then give them plenty of
earth; and that's the way get pretty
plants. Why, you see, Miss, the poor
'em back and crowd 'em up some the
plant would all go to root, and / shouldn't
get any flowers. So take a. pot that's a1eeae
small you think, and crowd the roots some
and teach 'em what they have to do; and
pretty soon they begin to be content with
their lot, and to send up strength into the
plant, and that makes beautiful bios
soms.''
1t was quite long speech for the old
bush in the meantime. Tom wondered if
his mother was going to stand there and
let him work on. She only smiled, with
a thoughtful look in her face, and said to
Carrie: :" Do you understands" ~
q Yes, ma'am, thiRk do
And she watched with a new interest,
as Dennis plunged his trowel about the
roots of the next plant. After moment
he stopped, touched his hat to mamma,
and said:
Excuse me, ma am, but I'm thinking
that we're all of us unruly plants; and if
the Good Gardener didn't pinch us and
hinder us in our ways bit, now and then,
what useless things we should be, not
bearing any blossoms for His glory"
The old man shook his gray heal as he
bent it over a tall fuchsia. And Tom
laughed a little, as if he thought things
were getting funny. .-7ys
.'You are right, Dennis, mamma said.
"That is very true, and am glad to haye
this lesson for the children from the plants.
Do you see how it is?'' turning toward
Tom and Carrie, ''that we are just like
the plants, reaching out to go the ways
that seem pleasant to us, and longing to
do as our foolish hearts please? But God,
who is the wise Gardener, holds us back
and hinders us and disappoints
us, and does not let us do as We planned
And that is like Dennis pinching the
roots of his plants. II is to make us
stronger and better; to give our lives
chance to blossom with cheerfulness, and
patience, and content. These are the flow
ers we can bear, to please the dear which
God who loves us, even when he will not
let us go our own way"
What an easy lesson it was and how
the children understood it, right away,
without asking any questions. And how
the time had slipped away!
There was the dinner bell, and the
whole long, beautiful morning was over!
But not the good lesson-that they could
not forget.
"And never you mind, deariesl' cried
DID Dennis, looking up to say the last
word; "never you mind, if you are
down Bit and kept from run
ming your ways now and thenl just you
be CHEEKY, and do your little duties all,
there will be fine plants some day.