Year: 1860

they had given more heed to
what was told them Of the world beyond
the hills.


The brook was sorry that his babbling,
which had been intended to amuse and in.
struct them, should have made them unhap.
py, and good-naturedIy promised I'd help
them in any way that he could to make their
lot more enjoyable; but the breeze-false
friend that he was !-counseled them to
leave all their old acquaintances and rela-
tives in the wood, and 60 forth together and
see the world for themselves.


This the brook did not consider wise nd-
vice; but the willful flowers were only too
ready to follow it, and as his voice of dissent
was drowned by the buster of the breeze,
he said no more to dissuade them, and was
persuaded to join with the latter in assisting
them to leave their home. So the sturdy
little Forgetme.not tried more and more
every day to detach its roots from it. fell
lows, and stretched eagerly towards the
bank, that the streamlet might wait her
down its current; and the Lily, hour by hour,
bent more away from her sheltering veil OF
green leaves; and though her stem began to
get crooked, and her pure bells splashed
with mud as the little tadpoles played about
near them, she did not care for that; for she
knew that before many days her friend, the
breeze, would be able to snap her slender
stem, and carry her off.


She was not happy; and both she and the
Forget me.not agreed that they wanted
change, and would be improved by travel
ing.


They had not quite made up their minds
when or how they should return; but of
course they meant to do so one day, to dis.
play their knowledge of the world to their
unsophisticated relatives.


Some Of their companions, who knew Of
their discomfort and their projected expedi.
ton. tried to persuade them that the Good
Father knew best where to place his chill.
dren; Ond the bees, who loved to nestle in
the LiIy's bells, and the butterflies and beau.
tiul glossy beetles, who courted the SUM-
supported by the azure Forget me. not, told
them how useful they were in their own
neighborhood, and how much they would be
missed if they really succeeded in getting
away. All to no purpose, however; the
heOdstrong things thought they should be o.
far more use in wider sphere of action
Besides, the zephyrs had told them of beau
tiful fower-fetes and grand festivities in
which they might take part, and have their
share Of admiration too, instead of being
cooped up in such an out of.the. way place


The elder plants shook their heads sor-
rowfully when they saw these young things
so obstinately selfwiled. and prognostca-
ted evil if they left their parent stems; bu
the Lily laughed at them for croakers, and
the Forget-me.not agreed with her in every
thing.


They did not think theirSat all q blssfu
lot; and having nothing for which to be
grateful, they offered up murmurs instead
of the incense OF thanksgiving; so when
their gentle watcher found the origin of the
evil, remedy was determined upon.


One disaffected member of a community
makes many, and it was not right that the
general harmony should be disturbed BY
these two unthankful murmurers.


So it CHANGED, ere long, that youth los
his woy whilst rambling through the wood
and lying down to rest at the edge Of thu
pool, caught sight Of the Lily and the For
get.me-not just within his reach, and stretch
ing out his hand, he gathered them BOTH
The Torget-me.not responded SO eagerly t,
his touch, that he took away a part of he
root as we'll.


Now the two flowers were supremely hap
py, and even rejoiced at having managed 81
cIevcrly without being under obligation
either to the breeze or the brook. The,
smiled down triumphontly upon the friend
they left behind them as, securely fastene
in the youths button.hole, they journeye
away with him.


He had long distance to go, and at frs
the runaways enjoyed this elevated position
exceedingly; but when the hot sun bega
to parch up the juice in their stems, an
there were no cooling waters to refresh them
they felt faint, and dropped their heads in
deed, the Lily would certainly have died, be
ing the more delicate of the two, if the jour
ney had been much longer. Suddenly the.
felt themselves revived by the contact o
cooling water, and the Forget. me. not, bein
the first to raise her head, saw young fai
face bending over her with look of cage
delight.


"Look here, Claire !! these pretty flower
which neighbor Charlie brought me are re
viving already. 1t is famous specimen O
the Myosotis pGlustris, with root, too.
shall dry it in day or two."


The little Forget-me. not did not like be
ing called by such strange sounding name
it had never been heard in the valley bu
the Lily was not sufficiently revived to pa,
much attention to its displeasure. -.
|. Claire, a little dark.eyed damsel, som,
years younger than her sister, gazed also sd
miringly upon the two travellers, as her sis
ter went on talking about them. 81 hop.
they will keep fresh !; I shall wear them thiI
evening instead Of Captain Mowbray's splsn