The Republican journal., 1903-04-16
How To Win The Prize.

of pusSy-willow flowers, that were
swinging on a bough, and dancing in
the breeze.
A little plant way down in the ground
heard the question and wondered at 1t.
"Why don't l blossom?" the plant ex
claimed. 81 would look well With two
leaves coming up half-formed. I've a
great many plans to make before l
break the sod; and, as for blossoming.
well, we'll. I'd be nothing more than
green flower were to rush along at
such mad pace
"Ha. ha" laughed the pussy-willow.
perhaps you are conceited enough to
think you'll be a blue flower. Now let
me tell you there are very few flowers
that ever reach that state of perfec-
ton"
The pussy-willow spoke the truth.
Blue is the color the flowers love best.
1t is the color like the prize before the
school children, that they all hope some
dav to win. The farthest from this
beautiful color are the yellow flowers;
but even they, suppose, hope that
their grandchildren may appear in
white, which is the next step towards
blue. After white comes pink, then we
have red, then lilac followed by purple,
and last of all comes blue; and it is
indeed true that very few flowers reach
that perfect flower.
I'm not thinking what color shall
be" replied the little plant, eff I'm to
be yellow, | mean to make the prettiest
yellow flower | can; and l do not intend
10 spoil everything by hurrying."
''Oh, well, stay down there if you
want to- said the pussies sarcastical-
ly: Eve don't need you for company.
The bluebirds have come and che sun is
warm. We can get on without YOU
BY and by the wild roses leaned over
the wall The little plant was then just
peeping out of the ground. "Hello"'
they exclaimed. "Why don't you bios
som: The world is beautiful. The air
is so sweet, and away off across the
fields one may see the grasses wave and
dip with the wind. Harkl The bobo-
links will tell you all about it,
The little plant listened and thrilled
with delight.
The world must be beautiful it ex-
claimed. Il do wish might see it, but
must not bloom yet. I'm not ready.
| should be ashamed to look the blue
sky in the face were ! to hurry my
blossoms along" ooh, my, how fool
ish," replied the wild rose. "What
kind of flowers are you expecting to
bring forth, we'd like to know? You'll |
hardly be able to do better than we
have. If you look at us Alright, you'll |
see blue shadows upon us. Can you
arrive at anything better than that do
you Think"
"Oh, no, | don't expect to be more
beautiful than the queen OF flowers,
said the plant humbly. I'm not trying
to excel you or any other flower.
lust want to make the most of myself:
and if | follow the advice of this one
and that one | may not be any color at
all
well, we think you are very Silly to
miss all this June weather. Blossom
now and enjoy yourself; that's our ad-
vice" :
The little plant shook its head; but,
although it had some good times listen
ing to the boboinks and thrushes. 1t (
often longed to see the wonderful world
about it.
There were some hard trials III store
for it. too. A rabbit nibbled off two of
its leaves and it took two good weeks
Of sunshine and rain to repair the loss.
Then a COW came along. Oh, how the
little plant trembed. Puff. Puff. Her
breath fairly shook the plant. Crunch
Crunch, Every spear of grass was eat
en- close to the very roots. Just one
twist of the great tongue, and the
plant would be gone. But no. The
COW. after coming within an inch of
stepping on the plant three separate
times. walked off and left it to get over I
its fright as best it could.
By and by the purple aster looked
down upon it.
You poor little green thing!' said
the aster. ''Why don't you blossom?
When do you expect to bring all those
buds into flower? | heard a man say
lust now that if the wind died down we
should have a frost tonight. Now {
what has all your summers work been
good for?"
The plant shuddered and folded its
leaves closer about its buds.
''Now is the time to blossom, my '
dear" continued the aster. "There is
an exciting race among the white caps I
on the bay. The trees are arrayed in {
gorgeous colors. Even the marsh
grasses are arrayed for the occasion. {
There are lines and lines of them in {
buff and brown and yellow. Come" S
urged the aster, ''blosSOm now before
the frost gets you, and watch with me {
this magnificent spectacle" t
i ffv, tot ian 1