Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-08-15
TIE MODEST VIOLET.
The Flower Which the Angel Chose
for a BOuthOnafre.

for a BOuthonaire.
An angel once asked the Father If he
might leave Heaven for day and 90
down to earth to visit the flowers and
birds and little children, for you must
know that no other earthly things
please the angels of Heaven as do the
flowers, the birds and the little children.
ayes" said the Father, You may 60
down TO earth, but be sure to stay no
longer than a day; and when you come
back to Heaven bring me the loveliest
flower that you can find that ] may
transplant it in my garden and love it
for its beauty and fragrance. Cherish it
tenderly that no harm may befall it,"
Then the angel went down to the
earth, and he came to beautiful rose
bush, upon which bloomed rose love-
lier and more fragrant than any of her
kind.
"Hevday, sweet rose," said the angel;
show broadly you hold up your fair
head Tor the WlnuS I'd hlSS'
"Ay, that l do" replied the rose
blushing, albeit she enjoyed the fiattery.
But do not care for these idle zephyrs
nor for the wanton sunbeams that dance
among the leaves all the day long. To-
night cavalier will come hither and
tear me from this awkward bush with
all its thorns. and kiss me with impas-
,ioned lips, and bear me to his lady,
Who, too, will kiss and wear me on her
,osom, next TO her heart. That, o angel,
s the glory of the rose, to be bearer of
kisses from lover tn lover. and to hear
the whispered VOWS of the cavalier and
his lady, to feel the beating of an impas-
stoned heart, and to wither on the white
bosom of a woed maiden"
Then the angel came to lily that rose;
fair and majestic from its waxen leaves
and bowed gracefully to each passing
breeze.
"Why are you so pale and sad, dear
lily?' asked the angel.
"My love is in the north wind" sai1
the lily, and look for him and mourn
because he does not come. And when
he comes and would smile under his
caresses, he is cold and harsh and cruel
to me, and i wither and die for season
and when am woed back to life again
bv the smiles and tears Of heaven, which
are sunlight and the dew, 10 he is gone.
The angel smiled sadly to hear OF the
virgin fidelity or the lily.
"Tell me-" asked the lily, will the
north wind come to -Iay?"
NO." said the angel, NOR for many
months yet, since it is early summer
now"
But the homely lily did not believe
the angels words. Still looking for her
cruel lover, she held her pale face aloft
and questioned each zephyr that buried
by. And the angel went his way.
And the angel came next to daisy
that thrived in meadow where the
cattle were grazing and the lambs were
frisking.
"Nav, do not pluck NE, )" cried the daisy
merrily;"I would not exchange Ely home
in this smiling pasture for place upon
the princess's BOSOM"
You seem very blithesOme, little
daisy" quoth the angel.
so | am, and why should / not be?''
rejoined the daisy. THE dews battle
l,a,, L.
merrily at mo all the night long, and
during the day the bees come and sing
their songs to me, and the biz cattle
caress me with their rough tongues, and
all seem to say, Bloom on, little daisy.
for we love you So we frolic here on
the meadow all the time-the lambs. the
bees, the stars and land we are very.
very happy"
Next the angel came to a camellia
which was most beautiful to look upon.
But the cameIia made no reply to the
angels SALVATION, for the camellia, having
no fragrance. is dumb-for flowers, yon
must know, speak by means of their
perfumes. The camella, therefore,
could sly no word to the angel, so the
angel walked on in silent sadness.
Look at me, good angel" cried the
honeysuckle; "see how adventurous
am. At the top of this trells dweIls a
lady bird, and in her cosy nest are three
daughters, the youngest of which 90 to
WOO. | carry sweetmeats with me to
tempt the pretty dear; do you think
she will love met"
The angel laughed at the honeysuckle'-
quaint conceit, but made no reply, fol
yonder he saw purple aster he fam
would questio
Are you, then, so busy" asked the
angel, "that you turn your head away
from every other thing and look ALWAYS
into the SKYE"
DO not interrupt me-" murmured the
purple aster. 81 love the great luminous
sun, and whittier he rolls in the blazing
heavens turn my face in awe and ven
Grafton. L would be the bride of tn,
sun, but be does not heed NV devotion
and beautyp
So the angel wandered among the
flowers all the day long and conversed
with them. And toward evening he
came to little grave which was freshly
mad :.
DO not tread upon u.s." said the VIC.
lets. Let us cluster here over this
sacred mound and sing our lullabies."
To whom 90 you sing, little flowers ?
asked the angel.
we sing to the child that lies sleep
ing beneath u.s." replied the yiolets
"All through the seasons, even under
the SHOWS of winter, we nestle close Il
this mound and sing TO the sleenin,