Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-25

themselves look as large as possible, saying:
"He is 8 wise man, he knows our worth;
therefore he has given US the best place in
his grounds; and since We can no longer
bring forth leaves and blossoms, he has
planted this flower for US which will soon
bloom"
They then began to give their little favor
ite good advice.
bend more toward the ground" said one
of the thorns; "thou art not modest enough. "
81 would gladly look at the sun and grow
nearer to her; please open little space for
me above" begged the plant.
This request soon got her into trouble.
"What is the matter with you?" cried an
other thorn angrily; you surely do not
want to grow taller than we are? Such i'm
pertinence! Whoever heard of any flower
growing higher than ourselves?"
And they all, with one accord, closed
their branches above the poor flower more
firmly than ever. Signing, she bowed her
head, for she wounded her tender leaves on
the sharp points of the thorns whenever she
moved, and she found it impossible to strug-
gle against them. A few days afterward
the buds appeared.
ITO what family do you really belong?"
now asked the thorns.
81 do not KNOW" replied the plant timid-
ly, perhaps not to any family at all"
Every plant has descended from some
well-known family" said one of thorns
scornfully; you cannot be something new
or apart. We must find out what you
really are, none Of us know you. You Ger
tainly do not belong to the roses. ior Won
have no thorns and that is their most inn
portant feature. Of what color are your
blossoms?"
81 do not even know that" replied the
plant.
81 advise you to color them red," re-
marked one of the bushes.
NO" declared another, "they must be
yellow just like the sunfower."
"Do net dare to have them such a shade
quickly said third" yellow will hurt our
eyes. You must be white, pure white. The
plant replied modestly: 81 would so gladly
please you all, but each one would have me
a different color, and do not yet know nv
self, what color my blossoms are going to
be. 1 cannot help myself at all, 1 must
bloom just as it is appointed unto me-"
well, then" said the Oldest thorn. since
you have more than one blossom, produce
one of different color for each of MS: that
will be the best plan."
Il cannot help it," sighed the flower.
"and is not the dear heaven above us blue?''
I'VE will not tolerate it." called the
thorns angrily, and with one accord they
fell upon the pretty plant to tear it to pieces,
Fortunately there stepped into the garden
at this moment the master himself. To his
terror ne saw how his favorite was being
oppressed and suffocated by the thorns.
""hatF he cried hotly, "you were to
have protected and iostered my beautiful
flower and you have almost choLed it in
stead! Away with youl'
With this he tore up the thorns and threw
them into the fire. The liberated flower now
thank .uliy raised her pretty head and
opened her fower-cup to the sunlight: and
thereupon there fell to the earth two preeious
tears. With sweetest door she greeted her
deliverer, who, when he had examined her
closely, suddenly recognized her with great
JOY. Long and vainly had he sought her.
and now she was his very own to cherish for.
everi
Would you know her name? She was the
Magic Flower of German poetry, which the
thorns of the critics, instead OF protecting,
had threatened to destroy. F.K.R.WADE.