Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-06-04
THE PLANTING
OF A TRUTH
[Original.l

Milton Clifford was born and lived
rich. The only thing that had ever
troubled him was that his wife, whom
he devotedly loved, was in delicate
health. and he feared that he might
lose her. If he did not sympathize with
the poor, it was that he considered
them of different genus, such as the
brute creation. He had an excellent
conception of his rights and did not
propose that any one should deprive
him Of anything he possessed. Indeed
he had sent several persons who had
stolen from him to the penitentiary
and felt that he had conferred a favor
on the state.
Clifford was very fond of flowers,
partly because his wife was fond of
them Every morning in winter he
would go to the conservatory and gath
er handful to place before her at the
breakfast table, while in summer he
would bring them from the garden.
One June morning when bis Jacque-
minot and American Beauty roses, Of
which he was very proud. were in
bloom he went out to gather the usual
supply for the breakfast table. What
was his horror at seeing that several
Of the younger bushes had been torn
up by the roots and taken away.
"Ah. these rescals who live about
here" he exclaimed, there are not
enough prisons to contain them. l will
watch tonight myself with gun. No;
the earth appears to have been but re-
Gently disturbed. The plants must have
been stolen early this morning, doubt
less for the flower market
AS he spoke he saw Il little girl far
across his broad acres climbing over
the fence. II was djtticnl1 for her to do
SO, for in each hand she held a rose
bush.
'sThc brat!'' exclaimed Clifford She'll
be in a reformatory before tomorrow
night, or Ill resign my citizenship"
He ran to the fence and climbed it
The little girl had disappeared down
the road, but he ran till he caught
sight of her; then to discover where
she disposed of his wares he shadowed
her \ mile from his place was Gem
etery. Into this the child turned and
walked toward a portion used by the
poorer classes. Clifford was surprised
and followed her cautiously to see
what she would do. She stopped at a
freshly made grave and, scooping a
hole in the rounded earth with her fin
gers, began to plant one of the rose
bushes. Hearing CliffoPds step behind
her, she turned, then cowed like the
guilty one she was.
You little thief! I've got you, and
I'll teach you not to steal. There are
children's prisons where they will get
the badness out of you"
The cringing child cast frightened
glance up at him.
You're very young to be in such
business. How old are your
"SiX''
"And who pays you for stealing rose
bushes and planting them on gravesT
mo one"
"No one? Do you mean to tell me
that you are doing it for fun?"
"1t's for mamma. She was laid there
yesterday. She was sick a long time.
She was so fond of flowers. Every day
l used to beg few from flower store
near by The flower man was so good
to me. He used to give me some of
those that were nearly faded. But I
didn't think he could spare rosebushes.
He's not rich enough. saw yours from
the road and thought how mamma
would IKE to have them bloom over
her"
The child burst into q flood of tears.
For the first time in Milton Clifford
life it was brought home to him that
the human heart beats alike in the rich
and the poor. Was not the mother of
his own children delicate, and might he
not lose her? Suppose that she were a
poor woman and there We're none but
stolen roSebushes for his little Edith,
the same age as this child, to plant on
her grave. In twinlling the old Cliff
ford passed away, and in the bosom of
the new this child in stealing his bush
es to plant on her mothers grave had
imbedded live truth. A cemetery at
short pipe between his lips, a spade
on his shoulder
Come here" called Clifford.
The man recognized the rich owner
of the beautiful place down the road
and hurried toward him, touching his
hat.
PLANT these rosebushes for the little
girl" he said, then so to my garden,
get more and plant them also" He
slipped coin into the mans hand, then
turned to the little girl.
MY child have you eaten your
breakfastY
mo, sir. l haven't any breakfast to
eat
Come with me''
Taking her dirty little hand in his, he
led her to his home and, placing her at
table, ordered food set before her and
watched her satisfy hunger that had
not been appeased since her mothers
death. Then, directing his housekeeper
to clothe her in some of Edith's gar
ments, he went upstairs to his wife's
room.