Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-07-23
THE YELLOW
ROSEBUSH

the flowers in the old garden for the
last time. The gate opened and a
sweet lady in white came down the
box-bordered path. peering from left
TO right
"Laddie. Laddie," she called,
where's mothers little manY"
Crouching behind hollyhock a lit.
tie figure was trying to avoid obserta-
tion, but a gleeful laugh burst from
his lips at his mothers ignorance Of
his hiding place, and in another mo
ment his dusty blue jumper was nest
ling in the folds of a white gown.
Naughty Laddio to make poor
mother hunt"
Laddio's laugh rang out again. He
waved a bright nag in the air.
Tell me q story, muvver, a nice,
long story"
The mother sat down on a settee
and cuddled the little man in her lap.
Does Laddie want to hear about a
big, brave mani"
Yes, muvver."
"once upon a time, e,"-Laddio knew
that "once upon n time" stories were
the very incest and he smiled content
edly-"there was a little man" Lad
die looked apprehensive. 1t was when
bis conduct had been questionable
that stofies were about little men"
But mother shook her head.
mot about this little man, but about
one who was a little man when moth
er was a nttls sirl. This little maE
played In a garden and he loved the
flowers. He had q rosebush that his
mother and he had planted on his
fifth birthday. Every morning he
used to water It and he grew to love.
It very much. The first rose that
blossomed was a beautiful yellow
rose. How proud he was Of It! The
third day after 1t blossomed, when he
started to water IT, he saw little
girl looking through the fence. She
did not have nice clothes like he had;
her feet were bare and she had been
crying. The little man looked at his
rose and then at her.
"'would you like to have my rose7'
he asked.
Her little face frightened and she
said. oh, yes
"His little fingers trembled as he
broke his sweet rose from the bush
and gave 1t to the little girl through
the fence. She broke into a merry
laugh and said Thank you.' then ran
away.
ss-rbfs f,t4Ia r,ar o--o,r - - . IL
man very soon and he took such good
care of his rosebush that 1t grew large
and had very many roses on 1t.
"one night h-s came into the gar.
den with the little girl who had
grown to be a young lady and they
walked down to the rosebush. There
was big yellow rose on the bush,
very much like the one that had first
bloomed. He bent forward and pick
ed it and put it in her hair. Then,
Laddie. for the first time, he gave
her what mother gives you every
night when she tucks you in bed, be-
cause he loved her. A little while
after that the lady came to the gar
den often, for she came to live in the
big white house near It.
: "Then there came a day, Laddie, q
very sad day. when the lady came into
the garden with the big man. He was
dressed like a soldier. She picked the
prettiest rose on the bush, kissed It
and gave It to him. He did not stay
long, but said 'Good-by,' and the gate
closed behind him. 4
"A long time passed and one day
the lady came into the garden and
gathered all the roses and made
wreath, and later in the day she went
to place where there were a lot Of
little mounds covered with grass. She
stopped before one. over which a flag
was waving, Just like this flag. Laddie,
and she placed the wreath on 1t. She
was very sad. You see this big man
was brave. He went on to a great
war. and was shot while putting up
~ which some bad men had pulled
6eFn~
MQtheR took Laddie By the hand
and walked dowh to the end OF ths
garden. There was a rosebush COW
cred with yellow blossoms.
This is the rosebush, Laddie."
who was the big. brave maaf''
asked -LIaAdie
your fathers darilng.y
-And was the little girl and lady
you. muvverf"
Mother nodded her head and Laddie
saw two great tears almost ready to
fall from her beautiful brown eyes.
He bent forward over the bush and
picked a yellow blossom.
Here, muvver." said he, take this
rose and don't cry. Ladies' going
to be your big. brave an."-MAR.
THA GRAY PlLsBURY.