The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-14

entire day, as we follow MS course
through the heavens; and then at
eventide how kindly he sends his last
rays to kiss us goodnight! In our
discomfort, we are forgetting our sun
god. We stand with dropping heads
looking down to the ground, when
we should have our eyes fixed firmly
upon him. l, too, long to be beauti-
full and useful; but, If our sun is sat
isfed with us as we are, why should
we desire anything more?'
The sunhowers we're much pleased
with this; and, after few more re-
marks, they decided to try to be con-
tent, but even this decision was made
with many signs.
Mr.. Jay could keep silent olonger.
"Speel spec! he cried, to attract their
attention. "See herel see here! You
are talking very foolishly. You
are complaining too soon. You must
be willing to wait till the proper time
comes to be useful. You have decided
wisely to content yourselves, and
keep your eyes fixed on the sun. That
is enough for you to do now; but re-
member, by and by l shall return
with my friends and neighoors, and
we shall show you how to be useful
and to bring Joy to Others"
Before the sunhowers had recovered
from their surprise enough to ask
him what he meant, Mr.. Jay, with
another merry "Spee! spee~ flew
away.
So the sunfower no longer envied
the other flowers. They hoped, while
they kept their eyes fixed on the sun.
The weeks speed rapidly away,
while the sunaowers grew taller and
coarser. Once or twice they heard
distant "Spee!" and thought that the
jay was returning; but their time Of
waiting and hoping was not yet
ended.
The summer was gone, and the first
autumn days sent the sunbeams to
awaken the sunfowers each morning.
"Our homely little blossoms have
all fallen off," one flower declared.
"Oh, why does not the jay come
back?" I'VE have some shiny black
seeds in their places" whispered an
other. "I'm sure Mr. Jay will come
soon. He'll come very soon."
The murmur of their voices had
scarcely died away when the well
come "Spee! spec" sounded directly
overhead. A rustic of excitement
passed through the leaves of the
plants. Here we are, dear sun
fowers" shouted the jay. Il see you
are waiting for us. l have invited all
the birds to this wonderful feast you
have been making ready all the sum-
mer months. Listenl Do you hear
them coming? Noisy things!'
Sure, soon enough, from every di-
rection came the sound of the gather
ing hosts. There were merry, twit-
tering goldfnches, saucy, chattering
sparrows, and scolding blackbirds.
There were ladylike catbirds, CHEEKY
robins, dignified thrushes, and numer-
GUS brothers and sisters of Mr.. Jay.
They settled by twos and tours and
dozens upon the heavy heads, and be-
gan pecking out the sweet, delicious
seeds that were arranged like rows of
black beads.
Dear, beautiful sunfowers" was
whispered again and again. "How
good of you to prepare all these ten
der seeds for us, and keep them until
now For the berries and grains are
all gone, and it is so hard to find a
good breakfast anywhere.
The birds all offered thanks, as they
flew away. A pair of finches fingered
to pour forth joyous song of graft.
tude. Dozens of sparrows chartered
"Thank you'll Thank you" all at tn
same time. "We shall come again
dear sunfowers" shouted the jays
So they did. The feast lasted many
days. The first streak of the dawn
brought the merry throng of birds to
breakfast in the garden.
The browning happiness was YET
to come.
One morning Grandma Stone
rushed out of the house, crying
"Those naughty birds are eating ur
all my sunhower-seeds l must gather
some at once, for should not know
how to get on without my row of sun.
flowers. Their CHEEKY faces smiling
at me every morning help more thar
anything else to make this seem like
the old home"
The sunaowers bowed in grateful
humility, while they whispered, "It
was long time to wait; but at last
we know that it paid to live, to grow
aud to blossom only as homelY sun
flowers. Alice Jean Patterson.