The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1908-09-24
Bessie and the Flowers.


bloom. Bessie loved to look at the
blossoms, but she did not consider
their rights, so she began pulling
them off and throwing them on the
ground. After she had destroyed a
great number of the most beautiful
blossoms that had been smiling so
sweetly at her she heard a voice say
Ing just at her elbow Now. little
girl, since you have killed so many
of my beautiful and innocent COM
rades, how do you feel? Are you
glad to look at those dying blossoms
lying about on the ground? Were
they not much more pleasing to your
eye when they we're living and nod.
ding In the breeze and smiling toward
blue heaven? And how sweet was
their fragrance, too, for it foated
about in the air making 1t delicious
to the human nostrils. All, little
girl, do you know how wicked it is to
wantonly destroy these dear flow.
ers?"
But how can they be dead when
they never breathe?" asked ignorant
Bessie. Flowers don't live-they
can't walk"
Eyes, we do live. little girl" ex.
planned the voice which came from
tall tiger lily. I'VE all live and
grow. We eat from the soil and drink
Of rain and dew. We come from
tiny seeds and grow into towering
plants to make the world more beau.
tiful. Did not your mamma want us
here? If she had not loved us she
would not have had the gardener
plant us and tend us. so industriously.
And here within a few minutes you
have destroyed the lives of flowers
that have been growing all through
the spring, putting forth their fresh,
soft leaves and blossoms to help
make this garden a place Of beauty
and purity. See how those little bios
SONS on the ground are whitening
under the suns rays? All, within an
other half hour they will be entirely
dead. But had you not pulled them
from their parent stem they would
have lived many, many days, to add
beauty and love to this world. And
before their natural death other sis
ter and brother blossoms would have
been on the same stem with them to
take their place when their term OF
life was expired. Now, little girl, do
you realize the injury you have done
to the helpless, though helpful
fiowers?"
Bessie stood quite still for min.
ute, then she replied: Yes, I've been
a naughty girl this morning; but
shall never, never kill another flower
Just for the fun OF pulling it off the
stem. OF course, If mamma says to
gather some flowers for the dinner
table or to carry to a sick friend that
will be different. Then, with your
permission, good Mr.. Tiger Lilly, I'll
gather a few of the full-blown BIOS
SONS, for they wouldn't live much
longer, anyway"
Flowers love to be gathered to
adorn the dining table and to make
the room of a sick person cheerful"
said the voice. They are then put
into nice fresh water and do not die
for ever so long a time, and their
being in the water prevents them
from suffering. Indeed they enjoy
themselves very much when doing
good. It's only when being ruthless
ly destroyed-as you destroyed so
many OF them this morning-that
they suffer"
well, never again will dear little
blossom suffer at my hands" de-
clared, Bessie. And II l could put
these poor heads back on their necks
again I'd do So" And so saying she
picked up the whitening blossoms
from the ground and held them ten
DERBY in her hands. 81 know what
can do. though" she added. 81 can
put them in a bowl Of fresh water
and set them in a cool, shady place
in my room, where they may feel
happy in adding their fragrance
what isn't already destroyed-to the
delicious morning air"
And then Bessie ran to her room,
placing the half-wilted flowers in
dainty bowl Of cold water And al.
most Immediately they began to open
up and look refreshed and happy.
"Oh, you dear things" exclaimed
Bessie 81 shall love you always
after this mornings chat with old
Tiger Lily."-washington STAR