Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-09-03

L;]y's Fate

LILY = = uLG
There were many, many lovely bios.
SONS growing at the edge of the forest
right in the depths of a green meadow,
where the sun shone brightly and the
rain fell refreshingly, and where the
nightly dews came to the blossoms as
sweetest nectar.
And all the flowers in the meadow
were happy, save one little lily. And
she was dissatisfied because she want.
ed to see the great turbulent world.
BE happy in your own sphere, my
child" advised Mrs. Sunflower, turning
her bright golden petals toward the
/ sun and smiling into his life-givins
face. "We are placed in the meadow,
| where everything necessary to our hap
piness is lavished upon us. What more
do you want?"
81 want to go into the world" cried
the lily, and her pale face wore an un-
| happy look. II want to visit other
meadows and get acquainted with
other flowers. l am tired Of this
meadow and of my companions"
For shame!" declared beautiful
full-blown rose You do not know
when you are we'll off. Here is peace
and contentment. Be satisfied with
your lot"
But the pale little lily would not stop
her complaining, and threw up her
head and declared: II wish someone
would come and carry me off,"
Then her companions, seeing that
advice and friendly council made no
impression on her, turned their atten-
ton to other things and left her to her
own thoughts. The ants and bees and
other insects were coming to make
short calls, and although the lily had
always loved them, she ignored them
on this morning and stood head erect
and face frowning while the others
about her chatted In friendly way
with the visitors.
One Of the honey bees brought news
to the meadow. There is band Of
children coming along the road, just
outside the meadow he explained,
"and they have a basket In which they
are putting wild blossoms who were
foolish enough to grow close beside
the road. If you are wise, my friends,
you will hide your heads down in the
grass till the children have passed on
their way"
All save the lily took the warning
and bent themselves low into the
heavy green meadow grass, entirely
hiding themselves from the eye Of a
chance passer-by. But Lily stood more
erect than ever, trying to catch the at
tention of the children. "Ah, yonder is
white blossom-away over In the
high grass" cried boy. wait for me,
I'll run and gather It," So saying, the
boy hurried through the grass of the
and reached the tall, fair
lily. She did not try to hide her head
as her companions did, but stood
straight up as If reckoning to the great
giant who was advancing to pull of
her head.
But the moment she felt her lovely
head severed from her tall body she
realized what a foolish thing she had
done. And there in the grass, careful
ly hiding themselves were her wiser
companions. All, they knew what was
well for them. And not glimpse Of
one Of them did the boy get. He gath
cred the lily and ran to the road with
her poor aching head in his hot hand.
And then she was placed in the bas.
ket along with other severed bios
SONS. And as she lay there, suffering
great pain. she said to another suffer.
ing flower: ooh, how foolish to long
for the great, wicked world. It means
torture and later, death. All, to be once
more in the meadow where my friends
are so happy and peaceful. But
wanted this experience, and 10! have
itt."
eyes, that's the way with u.s. re-
piled the other blossom. II was so
eager to show my beauty that grew
close beside the big road, and now !
am paying for the glory received
from being admired"
Just then the children reached their
home, and the blossoms were taken
from the basket and placed in tall
vase Of water And then they were pnr
on dining table where they dropped.
dying, dying. And the next morning
they were all wilted and ugly, and
were tossed into the back yard, where
the sun finished their ruin, for while
the sun loves live flowers, and gives
them life, he is merciless with dying
or dead ones, for he burns them up.
And in the meadow the story of
poor, vain, dissatisfied Lily was told
to all the younger blossoms as warn
ing against their wishing to go into
the big wicked world. And all Lily's
former friends mourned over her loss.
knowing that she had met most sad
fate.
And whenever the bees or the ants.
or other insects, possibly the butter
flies, come to the meadow with the
news that .children are coming along
the big road" the blossoms, one and
all, hide themselves in the deep grass
and are safe from the hands Of the
enemy And the story of the foolish
lily's sad experience has kept MANY
another lily from going the same way.