People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-24
small as I am compared with the rest

bUdlI DIS du COLI pdI6O Will Gu0 rest
of creation"
ooh, dear rose, if you had expert.
enced two such dreadful falls as I
d1d to day I think you would be glad
to find as quiet q resting place as I
have and be willing never to leave
it you must remember that I am
not SO large as you are, and am
stranger here, while you have always
been just where you are now"
off have been all my life in this
same place, I have endeavored, in
my humble way, to shed my sweet
ness all about me. Only this morn
ing heard some passer-by say to a
friend, oh, how that rose scents the
air; if [ were not III so much of
hurry would stop and take it with
me-"
"But l am SO very wee, what
good could I do in this immense
world 2"
@All the good you might do [
cannot tell, but each Of us, whether
large or small, has something given
US to do; we have a mission to &C
complish here, and, little drop, you
surely would not want to shirk your
duty, would you? See, there is the.
sun again, the shower did not last
long, but I am thankful it brought
you down-you feel so cool and re-
freshing to- me after the warm, dry
wind ,tiat had been blowing over me
for hours before il began to rain
q certainly near voices. Do you
suppose it can be that horrid boy
again 2"
of it is, do not believe he will
touch us bad people have no fancy
for such things as we are"
"Bessie, Bessie" was now heard
in the childish accents of 6-year- old
Nellie Walters, who, with her sister,
was going home after having been on
an errand to the neighboridg village,
''pray look at that rose over there;
it is the first |. have seen this sum-
mer; do let us pluck it to. take to
sister Sallie."
"To be ,sure we will-what
beauty it is-how much she will en-
JOY it, she is so fond Of flowers"
4 shade Of sadness crept over a.
year old Bessie's pretty face as she
thought Of her gentle sister, two
years her senior, who, for the last
six months, had been an invalid.
Il am so glad we came this way.
We didn't sec one blossom out on
either bush or tree On the other
road"
eyes, how fortunate it is we did
SO; it is pleasure to have anything
so sweet as this to carry to Sallie."
So saying, she stopped and ten
derby pulled the rose.
As the two girls entered the sick
room, Sallie's pale face frightened
when she saw what they had brought
her.
ooh, thank you, thank you!" she
exclaimed, e'for this sweet flower;
how delightful its fragrance is. It
brings me glimpses Of the green
fields and leafy woods / used to see
last summer"
"See, Sallie," said Nellie, 'that
dear, darling little raindrop right in
there ?"
"You deserve great credit, Bessie,
for carrying it 50 carefully that the
gllstening drop does not appear to
have been disturbed in the least; how
did you manage it?"
81 noticed that drop when | bent
over the bush, and thought it one of
the beauties Of the rose, so I did my
best to carry it with steady hand
for fear the lovely thing would be
shaken of, . responded Bessie, as she
took it from her sister and daintily
pat it in a vase Of water she had
brought for that purpose.
Yes, it is one Of its chief charms.
Little. drop, you are the only part of
the shower that was allowed to come
so close to me-and you would not
have been here if it had not been for
your friend, the rose, which held up
her perfumed heart to receive you as
you fell, and you, in return for this,
by your cool, moist breath, freshen
the charming flower and keep it from
fading SO quickly. Just SO the good
God wants us to help each other.
How admirable and impressive are
the lessons that even one simple
flower or tiny ram drop may teach
U.S."
And hour after hour the delicate
odor Of the rose gIaddened the sick
girl with It's sweetness until the
chrystaI drop at It's heart had evap-
orated-its short-ived usefulness
was ended-and the flower, deprived
of It's weIl-spring of moisture, grad
ually faded and died It's mission, too,
was accomplished.
You see, dear children, it is not
necessary to perform some great &C
ton in order to do our part in the
world. We may all, by little deeds
Of kindness and love, make our lives
fragrant and precious to those around
us, and oftentimes cheer others thus
when we least expected it.