Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-12-11
LUCY'S ROSE.
It Did Finally Bear Beautiful Dark
Red Flowers.

"Come in here, you little rascal!''
cried DR.. Packard. fercely, selling by
the collar a boy who was peering through
the picket fence at the doctors brilliant
garden. The boy was dropped trembling
upon the Office steps, while the big,
burly doctor went about among his flow
ers, cutting huge bouquet. These he
gave the culprit, exclaiming, with equal
sternness: There, take that home and
put it into water! Quick! Start your
heelsr' Then he stood upon the steps,
chuckling to himself to see the bare
legs of the frightened urchin fly up the
street.
This garden was DR.. Packard's latest
plaything and pride. mo fun in Guilt
waiting good ground: nothing to doctor!''
he had said when he blasted out the
scraggy, worthless limestone ledge,
cropping out in his Office door-yard,
filed in rich soil and made
the ledge gay with vigorous,
blooming flowers. Roses and lilies,
pansies and fuchsias, feverfews and
hollyhocks, geraniums and heliotropes,
phloxes and sweet-williams, verbenas
and carnations. morning -glories, climb
ing over the door OF his Office and sweet
peas and nasturtiuns. winding in and
out the low fence-all responded to his
care and blossomed with perfection
and an abundance rarely seen. Nature
was in her most grateful mood. .---.-
Here it was his delight to startle and
to reward the children who We're drawn
to the spot by their love of flowers. He
would rise up unexpectedly from behind
the hedge of vines and demand in awful
tones: docs your mother like plants?
Well, take her that, you scamp" giving
the boy pink or geranium or fuchsia,
and adding, in still sharper, gruffer
tones: "And see to it that you bring
back the pott" If the boy was not too
frightened and did not run away, leav-
ing the pot on the doorstep, his courage
was rewarded with yet another plant.
One day in June the doctor was out,
walking up and down his garden paths,
pulling up a weed here, picking off a
faded blossom there and looking with
keen pleasure at many lovely flower.
CHANGING up suddenly from his bed of
perpetual roses, he saw a young girl
looking wistfully over the fence.
"What flowers do you like best. my
ehild?" he asked, with a curious change
from his usual brusque tone.
''Oh. roses, sir?" she answered. :They
are the loveliest Of all, think. We have
a yellow rose that climbs up to the caves
Of our house, and another white one that
comes up to my window. and many pink
ones out in the garden. But they live
out all winter. and are not like those"
she said, nodding toward the Doctors
roses. - w..
'Come in and see Them" said the doc
tor: land 60 around all you like
J. The young girl thanked him and vent
quietly around, touching Some Of the
flowers gently, dainti]y smelling VIE
perfume of many, and noticing each.
But she stood longest by the r6se-bed.
The delicate color came and went in her
cheeks, and her pretty blue eyes shone
with excitement and delight.
Doctor Packard watched her silently
while he went from bed to bed, cutting
many blossoms. These he gave to her.
Her eyes opened wide with surprise.
She thanked him gravely but simply
while her happy face spoke yet more
eloquentF. AS she turned to pass out
the gate the doctor called to her:
"Wait moment. Here, take this
rose. | grew it from seed. Il won't
blossom for me. perhaps it will for you.
Give it good chance. Let me see the
flower when it comes. And here's q
book he continued, that will tell you
how to feed it,
Turning to go again, the girl saw a
gray haired, bent man on the other side
Of the street, walking slowly.
s1Oh, fatherr' she called, :ssee what
beautiful flowers l have, and new
rose too! The doctor gave them I'll to
me. .
Mr. Carriers grave face lighted NC 90
he stepped across the street 8
Indeed they are beauties. my chi.d.
The doctor knew what would PIE ease YOU
best. Let me carry the rose for you. IT
will get good care, SIR he added turn
ing to DR.. Packard. !.
s'This is your girl, Joe?" asked the
doctor.
Eyes, this is my Lucy, the last of the
six, 2 he answered, 9 tender, sad smile
crossing his worn features.
. 81 Better set her out il the garden.
Quite too pale and thin, man. Throw
away her books! Let her dig; let her
make mud-pies againl Keep her outeof