The San Francisco call., 1910-10-09
esS
FLOWER LORE

a large bag of gold. Many one had
started in quest of this gold, but no
one had ever succeeded in finding IT,
At last little boy heard OF it and de-
termined to make the securing of that
treasure the main object OF his life.
He left everything, father, mother.
home and friends, and started on his
long journey. For many years he trav-
eled, but seemed to get no nearer to his
goal One night after he had lain
down to rest, worn out with a long day
OF travel, beautiful young lady in
shining white robes appeared to him.
and holding up mirror said: BE
hoId!"
He looked, and instead OF the inno-
cent boy who had started on the long
quest he saw an old man, worn and
gray and wrinkled. The shining lady
looked at him sadly and said: "You
Will attain the object of your search.
but as you have never turned aside To
give pleasure to others or to suce0r
those IN distress, your wealth will bring
you no happiness"
She disappeared, and when he arose
ne found himself standing on the brow
or clin overlooking deep valley.
Inere had been a gentle shower, the
sun shone through the raindrops and
beautiful rainbow seemed to din
INTO the valley at his feet The ola
man ciambered down the hillside. and
where the end of the rainbow seemed
to touch the earth he found his lonp
sought treasure.
lie was afraid If any one knew Of
ms Wealth they might ask for some Of
H. SO he determined to hide IL in tha
earth. He waited until it was dark
tnen ne took the bag on his back and
stole carefully along beside the brook
ana through the meadow in search Of
good place to secrete his gold. And
Wnat do you think happened? The
1airles were holding conservation
congress In that very meadow to de-
clue the best way to preserve to the
world kindness and unselfishness ana
happiness. and as the old man crept
along one of the fairies slipped I'M he
hlnd him and with sharp blade az
grass cut a small hole in his bag. One
by one the< pieces Of yellow gold
dropped out and lay among the grass.
Wnen the old man reached his des-
unatlon his bag was empty; but all
along behind MIN sparkled the gold
pieces he had dropped.
One OF the fairies suggested that
they fasten stems to them, so thew
might not sink into the ground. All
night long the little people worked.
and when the sun rose in the morning
the meadow clear down to the side of
the brook was sprinkled with beautiful
yellow flowers, and when the children
wondered how they came there the
fairies smiled to themselves, for thew
knew all about 1t. The old man was
SO angry when he found his treasure
gone that he disappeared and no one
ever saw him again. But the butter
cups have been blooming ever since.
and II you hold one under your chin
you can certainly tell whether or not
you are fond of butter.
'"rHE CHILDREN'S DOVER"
Quite an extensive bibliography of
buttercup literature might be made,
and while large proportion would be
classed under Children" the grown
ups would find much that Is interesting.
Thoreau, Higginson and John Bur
roughs have all moralixed over the
cheerful little flower. DR. Hugh Me-
MILAN Of Glasgow has written a won
derful chapter on the Flower Of the
Buttercup." Under the name Of kings
cup the English writer's have made ref
erences to it, but most of the poets
grave and gay-agree with Browning
that it is the children's DOVER" and
they all seem to find it redolent of
Memories of Childhood
pluck the flowers plucked OF old
About my feet-yet fresh and cold
The buttercups do bend;
The selfsame buttercups they seem,
Thick in the bright eyed green, and such
Az when to their blissful CLEAN
Was all eartbs glow-how much.
Owen Meredith.