Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-04-15


the finer instincts and feelings of
mankind. In others the animal pre-
that is why they delight
in cooking mains, dog-fghts, pugilis-
tic encounters and the like
"Why, Jesse, had no idea you
were such philosopher, you display
great learning sir. If your theories
are really verities, l will at once
take measures to have you created a
Doctor of Philosophy, or something"
laughed Frances. Then more sober
ly, as she remarked the profusion of
flowers on every hand, and the birds
gaily twittering their love-songs
overhead
How pleasant it is to be seated
where We can see all these beautiful
things, and note how happily they
employ themselves, improving the
brief time allotted to them for carry
ing out the purposes their creator had
in mind when he made them, and
gave to each its own particular mis-
sion in the world. Do you think the
poet was right, Jesse, when he spoke
of the flowers as being
Born to blush unseen,
And waste their sweetness on the
desert air."
''No, Frances, do not, for while it
is true that many flower springin
from the dust of other dead flowers,
blooms for a brief season, unseen by
mortal eye, it's sweetness is not vast
ed. There is no wastage in any Of
the manifold works Of God. Forms
of existence are ever undergoing i'm
pressive changes: but there is no
destruction. See yonder humming-
bird, clothed in brilliant metallic
plumage, how joyously he hovers
over those tulips and jonquils; their
sweetness is not lost to him, who
shall say that the birds would care
to remain where there were no flow
ers to blush under the sun-warmed
kiss of the passing breeze?
No. the sweetness of the flowers
is never wasted, it all goes to make
the sum-total of that charm of per-
fume and beauty without which the
world would be but desert, indeed
undesirable to every living thing.
See! Frances! that humming- bird
again, how gleefully he fits from
flower to flower, lightly touching his
bill to the honeyed lips of his friends
tarrying with them but for an in
slant and then he is gone Frail fell
low! l like not his ways overmucn
methinks | would, were / humming-
bird, linger awhile in such company.
AS it is, / know of blossom far love-
lier than any that blooms on the
Dugway. For my hearts delight en-
bodies in her own dear self all the
witching allurements of these; the
humming- birds friends.
She has the charming simplicity
of the wild rose without its thorns.
The dainty modesty of the white vio-
let. Her eyes, they speak the Ian
guage of the variegated tulip. She
possesses the magic,-the fascination
Of the fern. She gives me no mem
DRY of the anemone, but fills my
heart with the oonfiding love of the
fuchsia, so that l can and | do as
sure you. my darling girl, my beauti-
full blossom. that you are my arbutus.
You only do love-"
At that moment the faint tinkling
of bell from over the river, broke
upon their ears with a friendly tran
QUILTING sound, in perfect harmony
with all the voices of nature along
the Dugway that afternoon. His ma.
jesty, the sun. who for several min
utes had modestly concealed his
face behind the leaves Of the maple
near where they were seated, sudden.
ly burst forth with a splendor that
gilded all surrounding objects, max.
ing radiant with gladness everything
about them.
A little brown wren which had
been hopping about among the bran.
ches of the trees, alighted on a twie
just above their heads and began
twittering away in bird language
with all his might.
Also, just then, a thieving raven
bent on a mission of mischief, sud
denly changed his purpose, and set.
tied on bough of the maple, where
he at once began to plume himself
with a self-satisfied air, croaking al
he did So
"Oh yes, ! know all about it, the
same old story, you needn't think
that you two are the only ones in all
the world that know how to make
love to one another, No, indeed"
"Oh! Jesse! Jesse! how can you
say such things to me? murmured
the girl, her fare suffused with mai