The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-11-11
ALICE'S FLOWER MISSION.

ALICE'S FLOWER MISSION.
"Ah, if only lived in great city,
or near one, where they have a Flower
Mission" sighed Alice as she looked
into the heart of white rose and took
a long sniff of its perfume. She had
been hearing and reading about this
beautiful charity and had warmed at
the thought of sending light into dark
places and happ ness to those to whom
| ! tile but sorrow ever came. She was
talking to herself on her way to school.
at such sweet, beautiful way of
| dong good-nothing unpleasant or
hard about it. I'd have the grandest
garden all pinks and roses and pansies
and geraniums. And heliotrope and
mignonette, too-yes, there have to
be something understanding in every
bunch. I'd send basket-fulls every
dayn'
"Oh-h-h, how prettyn' said voice
very near as she passed. She had gone
tile out of her way to leave mes.
sage. at the tumble-down row of houses
in one of which lived the washer
woman. In the window next to hers
was pale, thin little ia e looking out.
sd d you speak to me?' asked Alice,
looking up.
mol only thought them was real
pretty" said the owner of the face
pc nting with hand just as thin to the
| flowers.
" Are you sick?''
Il was burnt, long, long time
ago"
Alice saw that her other hand was
bandaged and that there was scar on
one side the poor face. She remem-
bered having heard of the little thing
being terribly burnt. months ago it
seemed to her, as indeed it was. How
Alice's heart went out in tenderest
sympathy as she thought of what weary
days of suffering she must have worn
| through since.
Here" she said, don't you want
| these?''
| A little color came into her cheeks as
Alice placed them in her hand. She
had no more time to wait, but nodding
and saying: I'm bring you some more
if you like them" gave her message
and ran on to school.
Going around that way as she went
home in the afternoon she saw only one
rose and bud of those she had given,
on the window-sll stuck in an old
| bottle.
Il give the rest of 'em to the poor
body next door" said little Maggie,
"she don't have nobody to be good to
her, you seer'
The next morning Alice left home
early, having her mothers permission
| to call on Maggie. She now went into
her room, and how her heart sunk at
SIGHT of its discomfort The air was
ell, Sc and sitting from having been oc-
cupied all night, ard the cook-stove in
the shed behind added its heat to that
of the summer sun. Dirt and disorder
seemed to have taken up their abode
here and found themselves at home.
Alice's bright face and bright flowers
seemed to bring freshness with them.
Look" she said, '.Pve brought YOU
this to put your flowers in, you must
keep il for your own"
She showed a pretty little vase one
of the treasures of her dollhouse. 1t
had cost her something of q struggle, to
bring it, but she had remembered that
the rea sp rit of giving always includes
self-denal-some giving up of what is
dear to ones self-and had begun to re-
fleet that the mere giving OF Lowers of
which she had plenty, or any other
''sweet, beautiful way of doing good, ="
was not the MaSters way. She sat down
by the bed from which Maggie had not
yet risen to be helped to her all-day seat
by the W ndow.
do you know that all these pretty
flowers mean something's
Maggie shook her head with an energy
which seemed to say she did not know
very mu h, indeed
"Well-I m going to tell you-they
all say something to us if we only know
what it is; mamma told me. Here's a
heliotrope; Just smell it! that means: Il
love you This darling little pansy-
see how it seems to b. smiling up at Won
it says; Think of me- Now these
roses mean good many thinys. some
mean beauty, and some'gra G; and one
kind of a rose means proud. This violet
means love, too-a good many flowers
have love for a meaning"
Little Maggie burst into such lauoh
that her mother peeped in in wonder to
see what was the matter
Am indade it's many a long day
since I've heard such sound from the
chi IT, she whispered to herself.
al didn't know flowers cou d talk"
laughed Maggie, as Alice went on:
This sweet briar means symra, nv
that, You know, is when people are sor-
ry for you when you're sick or sorry.
And here's bit OF mignonette. that
SINE Is sweet too, and it says-I don't
remember Just the words mamma told
me but it's all the same as .You loot
ever SO nice but you're ever so much
nicer than you look. '"
That's inst like you," said Maocie
looking earnestly into her little visitors
race as her mother came with her break
1aSt and Alice got up to say goodbye.