The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-12-24
THE CHRfSTNAS ROSE.

THE CHHfSTMAS ROSE.
a little way up ane Of the Rhetian Alps
beneath the shade Of All old black pine,
grew Christmas rose = The summer hac
the wind blows and the snew flies, and tie
hardy little mountain rose had two buds
Dear me, fretted The rose. Il wish
4 could blossom when other plantsdo. There
would be some pleasure in displaying one
self for the dainty blue gentain or the pref
/ ty eyebright, but with no one to admire
me, | see no use ia blooming at all"
'Ho. hot' laughed the old pine, waving
his shaggy arms, "Ho! no, what little
/ grumbler. The snow and ! will admire
you. You are named after the blessed
| Christ child, and ought to be happy and
eentented. Push up through the deepen
ing SNOW, little friend, and expand your
buds into perfect blossoms; We were all
made Tor wise purpose, aud We shall
know what it is when the time comes
| if
Just then the north wind blew so hard
the old pine was quite GU OF breath. and
for some reason he never renewed the con-
versation.
.'Ail the world is dead except the pine
and me, murnured the rose, and per-
| haps had better follow his advice. II /
was made for wise purpose ! shall not be
forgotten. SO she took good care of her
beautiful buds, and the day before Christ
| mas the black pine saw her blossoms, white
and perfect peering up through the white
SNOW.
Now, the two little children of klotz,
the wood cutter. were nearly heartbroken,
for their mother as sick aud that morning
the kind neghbor who kad watched by her
side through the night had said, ..Gsd
pity this home; | fear your mother will
die before night. Their father sat by the
fireplace, speeehless with grief and an
swered them neither by word nor look
lien they crept up to him for comfort So
at last they stole out Of the door, and,
hand in hand. wandered a short way up
the mountain side, follow ing the forester's
tracks till they came in sight of the old
black pine.
''lfall the mothers in the world were
dying that hard cid pine weuld 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 far US.
There is one W no cares for us even
here, cried the sister, spyin the Christ
mas roses, and in moment she had scrap
cd away the snow and plucked them. I'VE
had forgotten the Christ child, and that to-
morrow is His birthday. Let us take the
roses to the church, and there pray that
our mothers life may be spared.
So they hastened down the mountain TO
the village church, where they found the
good pastor bnsy trimming the altar for
Chrisin as festival. lie took tie flowers
and put Them, with some feathery moss,
int tall white vase Then he ka=lt with
the children aud prayed for their mothers
life and the roses noading 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 ioyfully, The fever has
turned and your mother is better Thank
Cod
Tie Christmas rose had fulfilled its
destiny All, me, the black pine was right.
We were all made for a wise purpose. and
we shall learn what it is in Cod own good
time.
srhe CT ristmas rose Is not a rose It belongs
TO family Ileliebore, black Heliebore, so called
from the color of its roots. lis large white
flowers are produced in winter, and il 81 ows
only in cold climates. The hower> are white
Hinged with red.