The record-union., 1896-05-17

T.
How long our summer is in coming,
and how some of US yearn for the long,
bright days ] suppose our flowers have
been fresher, for the cold, however. Did
You ever see anything lovlier than our
roses this year? The early heat usu-
ally scorches a good many varieties,
but this uncommonly cool spring
weather has kept them so fresh and
beautiful.
Have you ever noticed how fond little
children are of flowers? How little
maids will cluster together like nose
gay of garden flowers in themselves,
weaving chaplets for their heads, play
ing fairy with flowers pinned all over
their little gowns for decorations; pull
ing the petals off and pasting them in
fanciful designs on glass, thus making a
Pinny, pinny poppy show
Give me pin and I'll let you know.
Flowers play a large part in so many
childish plays, from babyhood up. An
infant in arms will stretch out its little
hands for the flower you hold in your
hand or wear pinned to your coat or
dress, and many will bear witness that
gardens innumerable have been prema-
turely ruined by the devastations COM
mitted by those little pink fingers. A
child will often offer to you as the great
est favor it can offer, bunch of flowers,
tied firmly about the stems with thread
OF strong white cord to hold them in
place.
Teachers desk at school bears wit
ress to many and many testimonial
OF this kind daily, if she be in favor
with her class, as any Of them will tes-
tify. Two or three times it has hap
pened to me in passing along the street.
that some tiny bareheaded tot would
stop and shyly offer me single blossom,
often withered and broken, but the un-
conscious grace with which it was given
and the Difference paid me in the act,
would invariably cause me thrill OF
sweetest pleasure.
1t more often happens, however, that
children living in flats and tenements
where there is no chance for garden,
would beg my hands flower from the
bunch 1 carried, and devour its perfume
with an ecstacy that made me wish /
had more to give. Indeed, l formed a
habit Of carrying flowers with me when
going through town." just for the little
waits that were sure to stop me before
l had gone far, with Gimme flower,
please?"
have heard the pathetic story of a lIt-
tie Irish lad who was known TO dear
friend of mine, who would go wild over
a single flower, not because ii was
rarity with him, but just out OF pure
love of it. My friend used to carry a
flower or two in her hand to give TO him
whenever she knew she would meet him,
lust for the pleasure of seeing his bright
eyes light up and hearing the sweet
Thank you, ma am" that was sure 70
follow. 1t seemed as If his love OF the
dear blossoms had refined him pecullar-
ly, since he Was the one gentleman
nered member of a rather rough family
During the late war, When the men
and bows who from one cause or an
other We're left behind in the towns and
cities were having their hair cut fight
ing fashion, which was almost as close
to the scalp as possible, little Denny,
with all the boys in the village, had
his done, not to be behind the grown
folks. Ii was during the summer, when
the days were hot and dry, and soon
after he had it done, a day or two, per-
hans. the boys as boys Will, all went
swimming. They had not been in long
till Denny was seized with crarnp and
went down like log. AS he came up a
larger boy tried to seize him by the hair,
but unfortunately there was nothing 70
Law hold of and he went down again.
He was taken home with a
sheet over the once bright, laughing,
little face, and was buried in the little
cemetery outside the town, while the
only consolation left to the friend who
missed him sadly was TO drop the ac-
customed blossom on little Denny S
grave.
What mischief viii boys invent next
with which to fill the moments that
threaten to hang heavy on their hands
You remember the old adage:
The devil finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.
Don't you believe in a devil? 1 do,
and a pretty big one, too. / see too many
evidences of his work every day of my
life to remain long an unbeliever in his
Satanic Majesty" and / think you will,
too, when you read the following:
Our boys" have discovered a new
source of amusement which is unceas-
ing fun for those who are in the secret,
and as they thus far do not seem to
tire of IL | conclude the fund must be
inexhaustible
The mischief-l loving youth concerned
have become, it would appear to out
siders, seriously interested in spiritu-
alism, anu some of them really believe
themselves to be possessed or Won
drous powers in this line, being able al
viii 10 throw a subject into trance
condition and in this hypnotic state to
control his individuality to such an
extent as TO make him do as the me-
dunn 90 wills One young man in par