The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-08-04

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am ~ mopseyn rs o dried-up sorrel-top.
SO the lovely tiarella, that was fair
sqoagh t {, be ! u brides crown became
Lets tear our petals, said the triul-
lians, ''and not try to light up the
woods with our star blossoms. Who
cares whether little girls aud boys are
pleased with us and our lovely bloom
ing When they hunt for US, who cares
if they sigh, and wonder where the
beauty of the forest has gone z"
So the Triulliams took no care OF their
garments, and looked like q lot of "beg-
CARS coming to town, some in rags, and
some in tags, and some in patched-up
gown" gf tBFEfFF fWF
"What folly I" said the water lily,
" for me to try and keep my head above
water, and float my snowy petals high
and dry. I close myself into bud at
night, that l may open myself fair and
bright in the morning, and teach men
how beauty may he found everywhere !;
and 1 never let speck of the mud from
the bottom of the pool deface me, that
may let the world know what has purity
within will show itself without. But
what's the use2 I'll just duck my head
under water few times, and then let
pickerel weed rub against me, and I'll
look like any old dud."
So the lily became like faded leaf,
and opened no more its snowy petals to
the morning sunlight.
Seeing all these flowers thus careless
of giving pleasure to others, thousands
of other flowers dropped their orderly
ways, until garden and field became like
a wilderness. There were no longer
white, delicate blossoms, looking like
snowfakes, and bright opening buds
like stars, and glowing roses, and fresh,
green leaves and when Molly, the
queen came home from her journey,
she looked in vain for her beautiful sub
jects.
What change has come over my
beautiful ones ?" said she. What will
the little girls do that come In the morn
ing to read by the blossoms the loving
Word of Godl What will the little
boys do that wish to gather garlands,
that they may consider the way in which
God clothed the flowers? What will all
the sick and weary do that want the
brightness of the blossoms? Something
must be done, and that right away"
So Molly, the queen, sent forth cour-
iers to gather in her subjects; but what a
pitiable sight they were? Dingy roses,
dusty lilies, tattered pinKs, wilted vio-
let's, crazy-looking iaponicas took the
place Of the sweet flowers she had left
Columbines, cinquefoil, eglantine and
arethusas came from the meadows, and
woods, and rocks, all tattered and di-
sheveled, with their fringes all snarled,
their st;.mens broken, their petals dis
colored.
'Do tell me what has happened"
said Molly, "since / left. Have you all
forgotten yourselves, and remember no
more what made you all so happy and
content2 You all continually tried to
bless the world by your purity and love-
illness. You clothed yourself ii the
beautiful garments prepared for you,
and kept yourselves in delightful order.
The flowers hung their heads and
spoke not word.
At last a pert artichoke spoke up,
saying
"Please, Your Highness, we have seen
Molie Milbur running through the
garden so much, with her hands dirty,
and her hair in snarl, and her shoe
strings united, never trying to look beau
tiful or nice, that we thought it pity
for us flowers to keep at work so hard,
when she gave us no thanks, nor tried
to return our favors.
Molly felt herself blushing to her hair,
and was so ashamed that she suddenly
awoke. and found herself with her gath
cred flowers all scattered on the green
bank, while the brook was murmuring
softly, and the birds singing over her
head.
She shook herself to find if she was
still Molly Milbur, and not the queen of
all the flowers, and then went to place
where the water ran smoothly over
dark rock, and looked at herself, as in
mirror. She could family see her tangled
hair, and could imagine how her face
looked with its dingy marks. She looked
down to her soiled apron and her
dangling shoe strings, and then she
scampered home as fast as she could.
Never after that was Molly found with
her clothes unnecessarily soiled, or her
hands and face untidy. "For," said
she, 81 will be as good as the flowers,
and make myself agreeable to every
body"
Hfots to Girls Concerning HouseIse eping.
: J.ano> <.osu,x, o,o,,.. a., ~ No.,