The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-26
The Mission Of a Rose.

There Il stood I'm > Beautiful vase on .
small ebony stand IN the front window
Of the, drawtngStoom.
The SAITH Asaeeries swept down on Ell
Their side of 1t, and all around giittered
rare and .sostIy bric-a-brac, yet that rose
Was the tairess Of them ali.
But the sunlight that streamed through
the window revealed something fairer
than the rose. Reclining on couch and
intently engaged with q book lay what
seemed indeed to be the living counter
part Of the rose. The fair face so full
Of thoughtEulness. and the expression Of
the beautiful mouth seemed like the pie
ture In dream "Helen! HeleA! called
| a musical voice in an impatient tone.
What are you going to do with your pet
rose when you go New York! I'm sure
/ can't take care Of IL for you"
Make yourself easy about that" said
Helen, II have found an asylum for my
| rose" 20, who Is to have It; you have
90 few intimate friends hereT' We'll,
Ethel, remember the little pale-faced girl
to whom we give sewing?" What! Mary
SeavernsI wFiat an idea! What can peo-
pie in her circumstances want Of hoW-
ers?'
'-For Just the same reason as DO"
said Helen. Have you never noticed how
wistfully Mary always looks at the open
ing buds7"
yes, but Helen, just think Of that rose
on table with ham, cheese. and bread,
ana stifled In the little close room where
Mrs. Seaverns washes and ironsP'
We'll, Ethel, If ] was Obliged to live
In such room think beautiful rose
would make me happy"
20, Helen, you are too sentimental.
Poor people have no time for sentiment"
You will see, Ethel, that my pet rose
VIII be just as happy in Mrs. Seaverns
kitchen as in our parlor. ] do not suppose
roses ever ihquire II their owner Is rich
or poor. Iwish you could have seen how
happy Mary seemed when / offered her
my rose"
"wel, Helen, that may be true. but
never thought Of 1t before. In fact I
idea OF beauty. and / never before
thought Of giving to the poor anything
but what they really needed.
In a day or two Helen carried the beau
tiful rose to its new home. 1t was placed
in small room on q stand near the only
window. As she came into the room
pale, sickly-looklng woman was leaning
back In her chair.
'tSee. mother, what Miss Helen has
brought US, her beautiful rose tree; there's
one in full bloom, and two buds.
Her mothers face frightened as she
said: How kind Miss Helen IS" Eyes,
/ know you will feel 90, mother" said
Mary. 'She has given US so many things,
yet this seems to be the best Of ALL
But little did Helen realize when she
gave the rose to Mary Of the invisible
thread which was twined around 1t.
One day in spring, g gentleman called
at the humble home Of Mrs. Seaverns
on an errand, and his eye rested on the
beautiful rose, and he stopped up to 1t
admiringly. THAT was given to u.s." said
Mary, ''by young lady as sweet and as
beautiful as that"
"And how came she to give II to your
said the stranger.
20, because we are poor" said Mary,
'and do not have many pretty things, so
Miss Helen gave me that" Helen" said
the stranger MAY I ask her other
yes" exclaimed Mary, ''Hslen Pear
son." 'Ts she here now?" asked the gen.
tleman, eagerly. mo" said Mary, "but
you can find out all about her by In
curing at her aunt'ss house, Mrs. Mon
tague, No. S- streeE"i
Z As a result of this, Helen received
letter In a well-known handwriting. Dur
ing a number Of years spent abroad she
had well learned the writing, and had
loved the writer, but there had been q
sad separation, and she had believed her
lover dead. but his letter told her that
ne still lived and loved her dearly, and
the rose had accomplished its mission
Boston Post.