Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-07-26
''Why do you weep. children3'
asked the flower angel.

"why do you weep, childrenr
asked the flower angel.
Because snowdrop has been telling
us we don't belong to spring, but ar'
only bit OF winter that's left over.
and people will be glad when we are
gone"
''Snowdrop is very vain of her greer
markings" said the angel. ''But b.
patient children, and we shall see."
It was still dark, for it was very
early. Just faint glow showed il
the east, where the morning sta
shone brightly, and below the star, a,
if swung from it like pale, COLDER
censer, hung the slender crescent
the old moon. High up Arcturus
flashed, and northward, clear among
the lesser consultations, cleaned tn.
dipper; while, still further north, fol-
lowing the pointers, the eye came
to the great white star that never sets.
The angel few straight east until
she found the sun, whose messenger
she was, and told her story.
''Great king" she ended. ''They
are very sad-the poor, white cro-
cuses. I would some new gift might
be granted to cheer them"
'And because they are sad," asked
the king, "do they droop and fade,
refusing to live the life I have or
dained?'
''They lift their heads quite brave.
ly," said the angel, ''and await your
coming. Only the frozen tear lies at
the heart of each.'
''It is well," said the king. ''Go
southwark now. for the peach trees
bloom and the magnolia begins to bud.
They need your care"
The angel bowed and went.
Then sunrise came to the great gar
den. In the east the sky grew brighter
Now it was soft rose, blending to gold
toward the horizon. In the midst of
the rose glow still hung. the moon and
planet, tiaged with faintest golden
green. Southwark violet clouds were
turning gold and saffron at their
edges.
AS the color grew in the sky, what
was happening to the sad little cro-
cuses? They were surely growing
taller and more exquisite in shape.
and = was it a reflection from the white
clouds that tinted some of them? But
it stayed when the clouds burst into
fame.
Then the sunbeams came, and, as
they touched each cup shaped flower,
they dropped jewels of gold within.
Even those that had stayed white re-
ceived the jewels, and those that hal
caught the tinge of violet deepened,
while one whole family, where the sun.
beams came last and stayed the long
est, turned to gold all over.
What show they made, the gold
and the violet, and the white streaked
with violet. and the pure white, with
gold at the heart of them. And how
they shouted and sang!
"The sunbeams, the sunbeams are
painting us! Oh, shall we be always
thus?'
eyes," whispered the snnbeams,
''it is because you were humble and
obedent."
When the pert snowdrop heard
that she hung her head, ashamed to
look the great sun father in the face.
And, as she gazed at the glowinl
crocuses, she grew very meek and
said, II was wrong; and, oh! you are
more beautiful than 1 can ever hop.
to be-"
"Nay, not So" cried the generous
crocuses. "Never before were you
half So lovely as now, with your sweet
Bonded head"
And the little sunbeams caresset
the snowdrop gently, bidding her bt
of good cheer, for the kind sun father
loved to forgive his children. Blu
snowdrop never raised her prett,
head. All the other snowdrops hunt
their heads, too; for had they not ap
! plauded their sister?
And, by and by. as the years wen
on, people grew to love the snowdrop'
for their meek and lowly spirit, a.
much as the crocuses for their ga,
colors; and always the two fowe
tribes dwell close together, in mos
perfect harmony. Christian Register