The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-08-05
The Water Lily.

Down Ill the depths of the river near the
shore where the mud and slime were no,
swept away by the current, grew humble
plant. The flags pressed about it, and
thrust their leaves like green swords through
the water up into the brightness and pure
air, and the eel-grass made tangled net
work above it. No one expected the little
plant to amount to much.
But lying there in the oozc, it thought: ::
"The water is luminous over my head,
There is more brightness above than have
had. The flags and the rushcs swaying
and fluttcring up there whisper together Of
the warm south wind, the gray clouds, and
the glory of the sun. If ouly could rise
If l only could"
By-and-by the plant sent forth leaf, an
odd, round thing like fan, and slowly it
lifted the leaf Oh the summit of it's flexible
stem toward the surface of the water.
! "Hol Ho!" laughed the polliwogs.
ilouncing by, "what droll leaf! When
| it gets to the surface, and we are frogs.
| Twill be fine scat for us while we sing,
Trick -sa-trix, Trick-sa-trix,' and our old
papa plays the trombone"
"Pray, don't be too pushing" said the
duckweed. "You're as well Off as the rest
OF lis. a plant Of your condition ought to
be modest Don't be too pushing; no good
| will come of it."
The humble plant gave no heed to its
| nelghbors' comments, but patiently lifted
the round leaf little higher each day.
One morning 1t felt strange electric thrill.
The leaf had reached the surface of the nv
er, and tue sun shone upon it; and the tall
flags parted little to make room, while
they whispered kindly Good morning,
neighbor."
Soon the humble plant found round,
green ball in its bosom.
"Ah this is a bud," it said to itself.
lit shall 60 up to my happy leaf, and there
expand the loveliness know is hidden with
in it.
Patiently as it had lifted the leaf the
plant lifted the bud toward the sunshine.
The dreamy summer day went by, and
at last the round bud opened its sepals, and
like radiant, goldcn-heartcd star of snow,
blossom lay upon the river and looked
into the sky. The red-wnged blackbirtls
fitting to and fro among the flags, sang Of
it; the south wind brcathed it's spicy fra
GRANGE; the tall flags whlspered ''lIow
beautiful! how beautiful and the hope
OF the humble plant was fulfilled.
Bertlam krause was the son of a Door
laborer. His father wanted him to become
smith.
"Ah now, if Bcrtram could shoe an OK,
or mend cart-whcel, that's all I'd ask, :"
he would say.
But Bertram had different aspirations
for himself. He wished to become an art
ist and paint great pictures like those in
the cathedral, into which he often stole to
dream and hope.
With bit of charcoal he could sketch
anything, and the lads thought 1t fine sport
to be his models; but his father declared
such idling wicked, and said:
"Who are you, Bertram Krause, to de-
spisc honest work such as your father has
done all his lfc2 You will never be worth
your salt"
One day, Bertram went to the river bank
to cut flags. He worked industriously all
the morning, and at noon, when he sat
down upon the shore to cat his bread and
cheese, he was not, and after he had eaten
he stretched himself upon the grass and fell
asleep. When he awoke the first thing he
saw was watcr-lily shining white among
the flags.
"Hurrah!" he cried, s'Hurrah a water
lily" and quickly springing up, he wadcd
into the water and picked it. With tho
blossom came the long, trailing stem, the
mud and slime still clinging to it. ''rhis
beauty is lowly horn," he thought, as he
smellcd its spicy fragrance, and with that
thought plan and hope came into his
mind.
His mother was quiet woman, who had
learned to watch and wait, and she sympa-
thized with, and encourag ged his dreams
10 her he went with his plan, and she pro-
cured for him a sheet of coarse paper and
some crayons.
With all the skill he had, he drew
sketch of the river, the flags and the water
lily amidst them and when it was done he
carried it tremblingly to great artist in
the city.
Years rolled away and at the yearly art
exhibition ut Munich picture appeared
representing summer sky, Il tanglc of
reeds and flags, stretch of sullen river,
and upon the grassy shore ragged Dare-
foot boy who was holding a water lily at
which he gazed with Il look of love ana
joy.
''That," said an artist, 'is by the celc-
brated Bcrtram Krausc, and is called the
dawn OF hope"