The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-07-13
TRUST AND WAIT.

why was ever brought here?" cried
a wild rose stock, as it stood bare and
leahess among dozen or more beautiful
trees OF the same species, whose flowers
of every size and hue, breathed frag-
rance on the air of the bright summer
morning. why was ever taken from
my native hedge row. where the bees
slipped honey from my blossoms, and the
butterflies summed themselves among my
branches?"
"And who are your" said beautiful
white rose, as she bent gracefully for
ward.
Il am DOW dried up, useless stick"
replied the stock; II was once the beau
ty and pride of country lane, my flow
er, the delight of the village children,
and many tired traveller as he passed
by was refreshed by my soft fragrance.
Those happy days are over forever; my
leaves, my flowers. my branches. all are
torn from me; and to aggravate my
troubles, am placed here to be remind
ed by your life and beauty of what was
and what am
After the stock ceased speaking. there
was sorrowful pause among her hear
ers; then the white rose said:
DO not be cast down, my poor friend.
you are not the only one thus afflicted.
Look at me: was once as you are; l am
what you may be-"
The stock only answered, sadly:
ut is impossible that your SORROWS
can have been as great as mine; can
not think that my troubles make me
any better but worse"
Then trust" said her companion
trust and wait"
Trust and wait" echoed they all and
richer perfume seemed breathed from
their many-colored flowers; and the
breeze caught up the sound, and bore it
over hill and dale to a lovely wood,
where nightingale sat SILENT and SO
beautiful seemed the words to the bird
that springing upward TO the Hottest
bough OF stately elm, he turned them
into music. and the sound floated back
again to the garden. and was echoed in
the songs of the thrush and the linnet,
till Trust and Wait" seemed whispered
and warbled all round the stock.
DO they all say SOP" thought she,
"then will try to do it."
BY and by tiny graft was inserted
by toe gardener into her stem; but she
scarcely noticed it.
1T makes little difference what they
do with me now" she thought; the cid
days can Lever return. Still, will
trust and wait"
And SO she did, till summer faded into
autumn, and winter laid his icy hand
upon the garden. The flowers hung
their heads when they felt his cold
breath. and the leaves fell sadly from
the trees as the autumn wind warned
them of his approach. The thrush ard
the nightingale were heard no more; but
from the bare branches where they used
to sing, the same words of hope came to
the rosestock in the shrill tones of the
robin; for Trust and Wait" was the
burden Of its song also.
At last winters icy reign was over;
from the hard ground the snowdrop
raised it's modest head, and the pale
sweet faces of the primroses smiled
among their broad leaves. TO the stock.
too change came; leaves decked her
once bare stem. and new life seemed to
thrill through every fibre.
but my sweet blossoms are gone fer
ever" she thought.
Still the returning swallows brought
the same message as the nightingale and
robin had before. for they twittered
Trust and Waltz as they sported in the
sunshine above her All her companions
sprang into flower at the musical call
Of June, but no bud appeared among
her leaves; yet the stock was contentf for
she had almost learnt her lesson; and
once more summer was succeeded by
autumn. and by winter. Winter faded at
the approach of spring, and again all
things were awaking into life. The rose
stock was covered with large beautiful
leaves and among them unknown to any
but the dew drops and the sunbeams. a
tiny bud was growing. Each day it be-