Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-10
Crimson Rambler Chases
the Sun and Clings to
Old Methusula
Mother Rambler Climbs Over the Garden Wall and
Tells About All the Birds and Flowers-Even
Little Cinnamon Rose, Outcast of
the Garden.
By MARGARET McSHANE.


Living 100 years in the world OF
the roses, long before any of you.
little boys and girls, who visit me
in the garden were born, my lite
has been elected to see the begin
ming and the end of all the roses
of the garden, and climbing as ! do,
high above them all, ! can see their
every action, and | arm the observer
Of all their ways"
Speaking hurriedly to the little
boys and girls who had gathered
at her feet, their big admiring eyes
fixed on her Crimson Splendor, the
Crimson Rambler climbed on and
on.
She reached the top of the porch
and soon after climbed to the high
est caves of the house.
Here she stopped q minute, and
peered into the nest OF = beautiful
swallow. The swallow was stand
ing on the side of her nest guard
ing five little eggs, and 1t the apr
proach of the Rambler, she wriakied
up her near-white brow, and threw
back her head, exposing to view
her beautiful chestnut colored
throat. Her mouth opened to re-
proach the prowler of her home,
but the Rambler softly laid her
spreading branches over the nest;
that it might be forever safe from
the trails of the nest robbers, and
noiselessly turned in the opposite
direction. The swallow threw
back her head and joyfuliy gave
forth her liquid call ia thanksgiving
to the Rambler. and entered the
nest. and spread her wings very
gently over the tiny eggs that were
spotted with red brown specks.
The Rambler smiled back at the
Swallow in recognition of her song,
and climbed to the other side OF the
house. hoping to catch up with the
sun on its journey over the roof.
The Sun Travels Fast.
"The sun travels with such speed
am afraid ! never will catch up
with him EACH day instead of my
gaining on hirk he gets a little ahead
of me- the Crimson Rambler
gasped, completely out of breath.
"But anyhow from this high point
of observation | can see we'll over
the entire garden. and I can watch
all my sisters and cousins at their
play.
"My sturdy stalks have climbed
very high by now, and a part of me
has reached to the highest caves of
the roof. And would you believe
it, dear little boys and girls, that !
was once doomed to dwell in mar
row quarters. Yes, indeed: one day
years and years ago. when ] was
heavily laden with my clusters of
crimson bloom, a beautiful lady
bought me from my keeper and car
ried me to her home in very small
apartment. The air was close in the
apartment, and the rooms were so
small, l thought / could not breathe
at all. Beside one little window, /
did my very best to make her still
believe in me, as she had found me
in my hour of splendor; but try as
! would, | grew more lonely each
day, and soon my leaves began to
fall one by one, my crimson petals,
strewn upon the door. were as SO
many tears Of blood | shed for the
free life of the great out-of-doors.
| sickened and was about to die,
when she gave me to a friend, who
owned q beautiful garden with
views and terraces snd lots of fresh
air.
THE very instant this friend bur
led my feet deeply into the arms of
Mother Earth | felt new life coming
upon me. The new fresh food tast-
ed so good, and my drinking water
was always SO fresh, and it just
poured over me from the biggest
garden sprays I ever saw. With
such food and drink. | felt snee
again that life was worth while. and
that now | could make many again
believe in me.
Many Visitors.
$50 in a few weeks / pranced
forth with a beautiful new dress of
soft and shiny green, and ] was
topped with the greatest quantity
of tiny buds, that looked so very
like little seed pots; and then it
took but a couple of weeks more
when | just burst out with all my
brilliant beauty set beneath a crown
OF cool leaves; from then On, my
side of the house was the most yis-
tied and talked about in the gar
den. Now | am happy again, fer
there are many who still love me.
"A few OF my stray shoots lmy
little children) ventured out into the
great beyond one day. They Just
wished to investigate ard see this
fascinating beyond for themselves.
They seemed to love the free
dom, and dansled aud played al
will. I did not mind, but let them
have their way; so following this
rampant impulse they dangled for
many days.
The Wind blew them here and
there. He loved the frolic as we'll
as fney; and so they swayed, and
they played, and never for once
we're they the least bit afraid. Blu,
not until the Wind had made havoc