Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-12-23
THE CHRISTMAS ROSE.

A little way up one of the Rh4tian
Alps, beneaib the shade of an old black
pine. grew a Christmas rose.* The sum-
mer had passed, and the short days had
come, when the wind blows and the
snow flies, and the hardy little mouL-
tain rose bad two buds. 'Dear me-
fretted the rose, I wish could blossom
when other plants do. There would be
some pleasure in displaying oneself for
the dainty blue gentian or the pretty
eyebright, but with no one to admire me,
see no use in blooming at ALL
'Hol HoP laughed the old pine, wav
ing bis shaggy arms. 'Hol Hol what a
little grumbler. The snow and I sd
mire you. You are named after the
blessed Christ child, and ought to be
happy and contented. Push up through
the deepening snow, little friend, and ex-
pand your buds into perfect blossoms /;
we were all made for wise purpose.
and we shall know what 1t is when the
time comes if -
Just then the north wind blew so
hard the old pine was quite out of breath
and for some reason he never renewed
the conversation.
Cali the world Is dead except the
pine and me- murmured the rose, and
perhaps had better follow his advice.
II 1 was made for wise purpose shall
not be forgotten So she took care of
her beautiful buds, and the day before
Christmas the black pine saw her blos+
SONS, white and perfect. peering up
through the white snow.
Now, the two little children of Klotz,
the wood cutter. were nearly heartbro-
ken, for their mother was sick, and that
morning the kind neiehbor who had
watched by her side through the night
had said, God pity this home; fear
your mother will die before night
Their father sat by the fireplace,
speechless with grief. and answered
them neither by word nor look when
they crept up to him for comfort. So
at last they stole out Of the door, and
hand in hand, wandered short way up
the mountain side, following the forest
er's tracks till they came in sight of the
old black pine.
IF all the mothers in the world were
dying that hard old pine would not care,
said the boy, bitterly. Let US go back
into the valley. sister; there we will find
good people, with kind hearts. while
here there is no one to care for u.s.
There is one who cares for us even
bere,' cried the lister, spying the Christ
mas roses, and in moment she had
scraped away the snow and plucked
them. we had forgotten the Christ
child, and that tomorrow is His birth
day. Let us take the roses to the
church, and there pray that our moth.
er's life may be spared
So they hastened down the mountain
to the village church, where they found
the good pastor busy triming the altar
for the Christmas festival. He took the
flowers and put them, with some feath
cry moss, into tall white vase. Then
he knelt with the children and prayed
for their mothers life, and the roses
nOdding on their stems smiled as though
the gift asked for were already granted
When they returned home their father
met them at the door and exclaimed
joyfully, The fever has turned and youl
mother is better. Thank God
The Christmas rose had fulfilled 1t:
destiny. Ah, mel the black pine wa.
right. We were all made for a wis,
purpose, and we shall learn what 1t il
in Gods own good time.
THE Christmas rose is not q rose, il belong
to the family Hellebore, black Hellebore, 81
called from the color Of its roots Its lsrg,
white flowers are produced in winter, and i
grows only in cold climates. The flowers ar,
white or tinged with red.
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Happiness As 1t in in Youth and