The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-05

My dears, we Lichens are the pioneers
pioneer is. / see by your faces that
some of you do not, so / will tell you
In the People World pioneers are brave
men and women who go forth in a newly
discovered country and prepare the way
for others to live where they have toiled.
I A pioneer must be brave, hardy and con-
tented with the bare necessities of life.
/ Now we Lichens have these qualities in
marked degree.
For instance, on bare, rock ledge,
where there is no soil, no higher plant
could live, but we Lichens always man
age to gain a foothold. The particles
of earth are brought to us by rain
| storms, and thus patches of soil are
formed to which the higher plants may
come. Humbly and silently we accom-
plish our tasks. When the people World
pass beautiful hillside hedge and ad-
| mire it's adornment of Laurels, May
Pinks, Fern and Brier Rose they little
think that this beauty was made posi-
BILE by us Lichens. All, we'll! true worth,
if not realized by others, has its own
reward
Many other of the flower folk told
their stories and when Jack in the Pull
pit had preached his little sermon one of
the large family of Golden Rods came
forward and after giving some of her
family names, sung this little song:
Long ago we learned this secret
OF a lovely art.
1t was how to hold bright sunshine
In the heart.
Ever since we've wamed the land
In a happy gladstone band
Frightening all the dusty wayside
Where We stand
BY the time all the wild flowers had
spoken, the musicians arrived for the
dance. The Katydids and CTickets, wear
ing neat suits of green and brown velvet,
came with their fiddles and a jolly old
locust brought his drum along"
Then Sweet William danced with Miss
Marigold. Goldenrod took Bouncing let
for his partner. Wake Robin and Prim--
rose danced together and The brilliant
cardinal Flower chose Iris for his part
ner. In and out they wound in
the mayes of the wild-flower ninnet.
"Fire-flies flashing torches that grew
brighter and brighter as the evening
grew darker and the messy green carpet
was soft and velvety.'
These petty pictures of the forest are
found on every page of the book.
Fairy Sharpe Eyes does not desert the
lonely little princess but comes time and
again and takes her on pleasant journeys
through Natureland. Once they visit the
/ !, of 11,il1 EIOrina thinks
| the birds are happy because they have
nothing to do. you are mistaken,
! Princess" said the Fairy, smiling.
None of Mother Natures children are
idlers. Each bird has trade by which
it earns its living" Then she shows the
child the birds engaged in their various
avocatons of fishing, hunting or carpen-
tering and the like. Here is the little
girls introduction to the Maryland Vel
! low Throat"
"Witchery, witchery, witchery!" sang
a clear bird voice.
''Who sings witchery?" asked the Prin-
cess, as they glided on through the
woodland THE Maryland Yellow
Throat" replied Fairy Sharpe Eyes. At
that moment the Princess saw pretty
yellow breasted bird looking at them in
quisitively from a tangle of low bushes.
! He was ever on the alert, hopping and
! fiittering about in the thicket and twit-
tering sharply, "Witchery, witchery?'
No." repeated Sharp Eyes, II am a
fairy, and, this is a Princess"
There is no witchery, unless you are
witch yourself, Yellow Throat"
Evidently the little bird was satisfied
that the Princess and the Fairy meant no
harm, for he came nearer and chirped,
Follow me and you shall see what my
pretty treasures be-"
On they followed until the reached
reedy marshland, where tall brown cat
tails and plunny grasses bent over
shallow nest built on the ground in a
grassy tangle. The treasures of their
little bird guide proved to be four pretty
! eggs white, with spots OF brown and
/ lilac.
This book should be placed in the hands
of our public school children, not only
as story book full of interest but as
charming Instructor in the first few
grades where teachers are striving to
awaken the child's interest an dobserva-
ton in the teaming life of insect, bird
and flower
| We are prove in North carolina TO au>
mire what is done in the way of book
making by our friends "up North. True
we have had but few from the pens of our
own people hence we should the more
readily show our appreciation of one
which comes from North Carolina wo-
man. This is no plea for the book be-
| cause it is a home product However
much we may love an author, poor Eng
lish, inaccurate statement, or heavy mat
ter should not be inflicted upon child
rem but this work of Miss Carter's pre-
sents the child with graceful wording,
useful knowledge and the most charming
of fairy tales.
ANNIE G. RANDALL,
In The State Normal Magazine.
The portrait of Mrs. Roosevelt, with
her daughter Ethel,-the work of Miss
Cecilia BpanX will he OubliShed for the