The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-11-14

ricS ago the sun was az It's height. On
the higher land all the trees and fiow.
ers were scorched and dried up from
the long drought. and bis burning rays
pierced their way even TO the cool and
stately garden which lny In the shelter
OF the valley many feet below, but
they only touched lightly the myr-
lad OF beautiful lowers that raised
their heads 50 gladly TO meet his soft.
caressing touch. which fell In slanting
shadows amid Ito thick green foliage,
Everything seemed TO thrive In this
old fashioned garden. from the proud
white lily 10 the humble blue forgetme
not growing In lunches In the soft
moss. but the most beautiful OF all
were the masses Of roses-red, yellow
and pink, and the family tinted tea
rose-and In their midst. seeming to
stand alone and apart from all the
rest. n beautiful pink Ia France. her
bright green leaves forming halo
around her. The other roses in the
gardens looked up 10 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 vainly rs they
passed before her.
The flowers had II all their own way
In this beautiful, half forgotten acre OF
God. No rough gardener came 70 cut
away their thorns, snip or their dead
buds and gather them to put into
vases. where they would droop and die
In few short hours. Only a little
child would come sometimes and touch
them softly. almost revercntiy. with
his thin white fingers and whisper
childish things to them. and the flowers
would answer back. and the boy seem
Cd TO understand them and know their
language. for his wistful eyes would
bxishten and a smile play round his
small mouth.
And he was always tired now, and
IN the great heat OF the day he could
ssldom drag his weary little body as
FAR an the roses. only when the sun
besnn 60 set and the cool OF the even
fnE came. Then, II 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
great hush. and the petals Of the roses
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 a black silence
crept closer and closer. for in the gar
den was the shadow OF death.
And the roses mourned among them /
solves long and sorrowfuily. but none
mourned 30 deeply as the stately
queen. She missed the soft, caressing
fingers OF the child. She missed the
golden curls which had rested 80 often i
and 80 lovingly near her heart.
Must she always grow alone. with
out anything TO love and call her owni
Why could she not have a little child
to take the place OF the one who was
gonef
The days passed on. and she held
herself more apart from the other
flowers. and the mantle OF her sadness
over them and over ell the
garden. The birds ceased their songs.
the sparkling streams OF water NO
longer rlppled over the smooth. white
pebbles, but were almost dried up.
with only faint thread trickling half
along. The roses were
withered 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 in
volume. then toward evening suddenly
died away. and on the clear blue OF
the sky above appeared the many COL
pred hues OF rainbow, and as tho
roses looked toward their queen they
raised their dropping heads in amaze
ment.
" hhN fAAANNN hfitl NfrtfHutu iiOiu
The sky above and envelopcd her In his
,linglng folds. hiding her from the
Eyes that would see and making her
lis own
Summer once more IN the garden
hat lies IN the shelter OF the valley I
but not the MONDAY heat: I
'ventide and the slfvcr moon arraycd
n all her best
Birds are singing on every bough as !
Z their little threats would burst. so
'ager are they 10 do homage 10 the I
'ccasion All the flowers are arrayed
n their brightest and bravest colors. 1
nd the streams make merry music as 1
hey bubble over the smooth. white I
'ebhles
And by the queen OF roses nestles q I
mall pink rosebud. So small. so ten |
er, Is he that her leaves almost en- {
old him. For tho stately In Frances I
Thh has been granted her. and tonight