Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-21
The Dance of
the Daisies
By Ellen Burns Sherman.

NleT, So eNeTyDOuy Sdlu WIN went W ~.
But you shall hear all about it from a
little lass who was so lucky as to hear
of it first hand from the wind who
played the music for the daisies ball.
One warm June day, near shutdown,
Marjory Speedwell, a little girl Of sew
en-, had been playing until she was
quite tired and sleepy. SO she lay
down in the deep grass, and soon tall
slender fairy, named Sleep, touched
her eyes and ears with bright red
poppy and at once Marjory could I'M
derstand all that the wind, grasses,
and blossoms about her were saying.
Its almost time to begin,' whis-
pered the grasses.
Begin What?" asked Marjory.
"The dance, you sweet little dream
err" answered the grasses. Didn't
you know that we are just going to
give the first big wind dance of the
season for the daisies? It's their COM
ing-out party. Mr.. Wind will tell you
all about it. There's just time before
it begins
"You see, sweet little one" whisper
ed the wind, as he kissed Marjory's
pink, fat cheek, May and June nave
been working some time to get the
daisies dresses ready for their coming
out party. They're lovely little dresses,
with gold bodices and snow white ruff
fees. which are beautiful to dance In"
"Oh, think I've seen them!" cried
Marjory.
Don't interrupt, little one, or there
won't be time to tell you about the
party. May and June, as have said,
have been working day and night and
very secretly, so that no one may know
how they weave the beautiful white
velvet and gold of the daisies gowns.
At last they are all done, and yesterday
the grasses called me as was passing
softly by, and said: Come quick,
Signor Wind; we must have word
with you. Tomorrow we give q ball
for our little daisies, and we shall need
you to make the music and keep the
time
"'Gladly, dear grasses replied,
and what time do you wish me to
"'When the first glow worm lights
his lamp" answered the grasses. For
we have hired all the glow worms In
the neighborhood to be present to
make our field look bright and pleas
ant while the blossoms dance.
81 shall be there with the first fire.
fly, gentle grasses I replied, and IN
all things / shall do your bidding.
"'You will please play very softly
at first said the grasses, slow, dreamy
music, that even we old grasses can
dance to. Then you may play louder
and faster. till you see every flower of
the field bobbing and dancing with de-
80
tween the Dances as usual, to give US
all chance to rest-especlally the
daisies, as this is their first ball.
"I shall do Just as you say, little
grasses answered.
"I will tell you whom we nave IN
yited.' whispered the grasses, so you
will know the kind Of music we need.
All the buttercups. pink and white
clovers field rnppies, and the brown
eyed Susans (who are third cousins OF
fine daisies) are to be at the dance
I'm glad the clovers are to be there
said I. for there are no blossoms VINO
! return me such sweet kisses as the
clovers.'
"'And now continued the grasses.
we will tell you what we should like to
have YOU play. First Of all, The
Daisies Dream waltz" In gentle, sway.
ing time; when that is ended we shail
ali stop and take sips of dew to refresn
ourselves. Then you may play the
"Brown-eyed Susan Mazurka," and not
so very fast, for the Susans cannot bend
SO quickly or gracefully as the white
daisies. For the third number we SHAH
want 1.-THE Red Clover Fling for DO
love to see those dear, fat pink clover
heads bobbing and whirling in that
wild dance. After the clover-fling we
should have a light poppy-polka. 1ol-
lowed by more refreshments OF dew.
For the fourth number, please play
'"The Buttercup Fantasy and tell the
freflies to hold their lights over the
buttercups so we may see their SHINING
faces. They are such cheerful little
dears these buttercups. and 80 proud
of their gold satin dresses that 1t would
be a pity not to have them seem
Anything else gentle grasses, I
asked.
"The grasses whispered awhile
among themselves, and then answered:
ooh, yes, dear faithful wind; we
must not forget 1.-The Winged Quad
rifle" for the flreflies. That will make
pretty closing dance. I will tell the
flreflies how they may keep time to
our music by turning their lights on
and off,
"'Excuse me, kind grasses" I an
swered, but you have left yourselves
out. SO please let me play just before
1.-THE Winged Quardrille" "The Grasses
Glide a favorite piece Of mine, and
one that no dancer in the fields can do
so we'll as yourselves
"'Thank you, gentle voiced wind;
"any one could dance to such lovely
music as yours; but look! there comes
a FREELY now, SO It's time to begin :"
"Z-zzz-shss-zee- eeezee-zz-zee-
zee zzeee-ssseeee--eee play
ed the wind, like fiddler trying the
strings Of his violin. "Swee. swee, rrr-
sssss- rrrrr- sssss- sss-swee-swee," came
a soft grassy strain over the fields. and
Signor Wind knew that his instru-
ment was in perfect tune.
So he began at once to play "The
Daisies Dream waltz" and little Mar
jory, looking and listening, saw the
beautiful daisies swaying gently to
and fro with their partners, keeping
perfect time to the music Of the wind.
After little they all began whispering
shy little daisy-secrets to each other.
Aren't the fireflies lovely?" said one
very young little daisy, who had never
seen them till that evening.
They're just dear" said her partner.
How do you suppose they will make