The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-12-02
RAINBOW AND ROSE

ries ago the sun was at its height. On
the higher land all the trees and iiow-
ers were scorched and dried up from
the long drought. and his burning rays
pierced their way even to the cool and
stately garden which lay In the shelter
Of the valley many feet below. but
they only touched lightly the myr-
lad of beautiful flowers that raised
their heads so gladly to meet his soft.
/ caressing touch. which fell in slanting
shadows amid the thick green foliage
Everything seemed to thrive in this
old fashioned garden. from the proud
white lily to the humble blue forgetme-
not growing in punches in the soft
moss. but the most beautiful OF all
were the masses Of roses-red, yellow
and pink, ana the family tinted tea
rose-and In their midst seeming to
stand alone and apart from all the
rest. a beautiful pink La France. her
bright green leaves forming a halo
around her. The other roses In the
gardens looked up to her as their
queen. the birds would come and sing
their best songs before her. and the
proud peacocks would carry their tails
higher and strut more vainiy as they
passed before her.
The flowers had II all their own way
In this beautiful. halt forgotten acre Of
God. No rough gardener came to cut
away their thorns. snip Oh their dead
buds and gather them to put into
vases. where they would droop and die
In q few short hours. Only a little
child would come sometimes and touch
them softly. almost reverently. with
his thin white fingers and whisper
childish things to them. and the flowers
would answer back, and the boy seem
language. for his wistful eyes would
brighten and a smile play round his
small mouth
And he was always tired now. and
in the great heat of the day he could
seldom drag his weary little body as
taA uS thS tOoVS, WHth tuc sun
began to set and the cool of the even
ing came. Then. If he were well
enough, he would come.
But one day the shadows grew
longer and longer. the weary flowers
raised their dropping heads in vain.
the tiny white robed figure came no
more, and over the garden was a
h,,s nj thn f,l oPf
dropped silently to the ground in their
grief, the birds songs were hushed
and the bright hued peacocks swept
their dropping feathers dejectedly be
hind them.
The stately queen of roses bowed
her proud head, and black silence
crept closer and closer, for in the gar
den was the shadow of death.
And the roses mourned among them
selves long and sorrowfully, but none
mourned SO deeply as the stately
queen. She missed the soft, caressing
fingers of the child. She missed the
golden curls which had rested so often
and so lovingly near her heart.
Must she always grow alone. with
Oul tlluS W lONS anu Cdll ucl wv IL
Why could she not have little child
to take the place of the one who was
gone?
The days passed on, and she held
herself more apart from the Other
flowers, and the mantle Of her sadness
descended over them and over all the
garden. The birds ceased their songs
the sparkling streams of water M
) longer rippled over the smooth. white
pebbles, but were almost dried up
with only faint thread trickling hal
heartedly along. The roses wer'
withcred and dying, until one morning
there came soft, refreshing shower
of rain, and the flowers began to re
vive
All day long the rain increased il
volume, then toward evening suddenl.
: died away, and on the clear blue o
the sky above appeared the many col
ored hues of a rainbow, and as tn,
roses looked toward their queen the!
raised their dropping heads in amaze
ment.
For the rainbow had descended fror
the sky above and enveloped her in hi
; clinging folds, hiding her from tn
eyes that would see and making he
his own.
Summer once more in the gardel
that lies in the shelter of the valley
summer, but not the MONDAY heat
eventide and the silver moon arraye,
in all her best.
Birds are singing on every bough a
l If their little throats would burst, S
eager are they to do homage to tn
5 occasion. All the flowers are arraye
in their brightest and bravest colori
and the streams make merry music a
they bubble over the smooth. whit
I pebbles.
+ And by the queen of roses nestles
e small pink rosebud. So small, so ter
= der, is he that her leaves almost er
fold him. For the stately La France
wish has been granted her, and tonigt
the garden is en- fete for the christcI
= ing of the offspring of the many hue
J. rainbow and the proud rose.
( The insects come one by one to brin
l. their offerings and lay them at th