The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-03-13
Lost Their f|uEIlD
Children MolsUuv L3Dei Thoir Gents
csmpanios, the Loves
o. Flowers.
~ JEln povcLAa.

- e6SSS tOVNS0
The little old gentleman who
owned the flower shop ct the end Of
the street was loved by, the entire
neighbcrhood. He lived alone in two
rooms above the shop, and not hav-
ing any immediate family to love he
larished On unreasonable supply Of
affection upon the children and his
flowers. They, in turn, adored the
kind, white-haired Mr.. Brooks, who
always had a bag Of peppermint
drops in his pocket and bright
blossom to give them for the teacher.
But these were not the only things
which lla1ed them to his shop. They
came for sympathy, when punished
at school OF the pet dog died; for
help when Lessons proved too Diff
cult or bruised fingers needed heal
ing, and they came to- hear the won
derful stories which he wove about
the most commonplace things. Be
cause he retained his youthful heart
the wonder world was revealed to
him in all its beauty. Here the chill
dren could walk hand in hand with
the gentle love of flowers, but par
snts never crossed its portals. He
could see the tiny elves and fairies
dwelling in each flower cup and
could hear the music of the hyacinth
bells when you gently show them.
He knew that you must never be
cruel to blossom 2or shrub for fear
of hurting the spirit which inhab-
tied it.
When school was over for the day
and all errands had been done, little
groups Of babbling children could be
seen hurrying toward the flower
shop, and this particular Tuesday
found company Of eight hating in
the doorway. They saw their gentle
friend moving among his plants,
loosening the earth about hello
trope, caressing a frail orchid and
spraying thirsty spirea. He wore
bis brown rubber apron, which
meant that he was busy, and while
they longed to rush in and clamor
for story, they respected the badge
Of labor and halted on the threshold.
So engrossed was he with his
plants that for minute he did not
hear the suppressed whispering, but
presently he looked up. "Come in !!
Come in! I have almost finished.
Besides, the flowers and have been
looking for you all afternoon" He
patted each and placed pepper
mint drop between each pair of rosy
lips.
Iook at me! No unhappiness
todayl That's splendid! Teddy ev-
identity found his equations not 50
hard as he had feared !; Mamie's step
mother is evidently in good humor,
for she is early; Bobby's toothache
has disappeared, and the rest Of US
are as we'll as yesterday, I,hope."
The. eight began to chatter like
magpies, with now and then an in
telligible word.
'Here, here! Must we always be-
come so excited at first? Usually
ten minutes or more are wasted,
while Mr.. Brooks sat on . box.
81 have sad news for you, / fear.
This morning, when l came in to
water the plants, i. found that the
sweet jessamine elf had died during
the night. We had tried 90 hard to
ave her, so I investigated the cause
and found our enemy the wire worm
inhabiting the soil. / killed him
and buried the jessanine in the gar
ien."
The children were on the verge Of
tears until Mr.. Brooks continued:
4Now come with me, for I have
something to show you; step softly,
for they are sleeping" He piloted
them to the rear of the green house
and proudly displayed several boxes
If tulips which had just unfoded
their leaves, disclosing the buds.
"You see, the fairies are,,sleeping
in their flower rooms and will not
awaken until the sunlight kisses the
buds open. Then you cansee them y
The laughing-eyed children tip
boed close to the tulips and then aa
quietly returned to- their places on
The upturned flower pots.
"Now,rwhere did we leave of yes
terday, when Jimmy's mother came
for him? Oh, yes, at the NEST e1-
citing part Of the story, when the
glow worms lighted the elm army
on its journey through the fern for.
.st in search Of the enemy"
Then the gsntls lover of fewer
related how the elves routed the pix.
les from the flower gardens. Fos
years these destructive little crea-
lures had been robhing the flowers -od