Year: 1874

found a flower to-day growing in a
lonely spot where not single other bright
thing grew. The soil must have been blown
in on the rocks as dust, and been gradually
washed down into crevices But how came
the seed from which this fair blossom
sprung2 Perhaps some bird dropped it, or
the wind may in some strong puff have cast
it up hither; or it may possibly have fallen
from some chance wanderer searching for
new species among the inhospitable rocks,
aud bringing in his hand ed.bearing speci-
mems Thus he sowed who came not forth
to sow but to gather. But, however it
came here, by man, bird or angel, here it
has unfolded, every joint, every leaf, with
none to show it, but of its own nature
forced from within into outward form and
nursed by the sweet influences Of the
season Alone, 10 a lonely corner, it has
been az well cared for as if it we're in a
fenced garden The sun has wrought for
it as if it were it's only darling on all the
earth.


It has had all the rain and all the at
mosphere it could use standing thus alone,
in gentle egotism, pardonable in flower,
it wondered why this globe should exist
only for it The sun rose for it, and there
was far more light and heat than it could
use. The blue sky overspread it with need
less compass-yastly more room than was
necessary for a single flower! The sum
mer was arranged for it. Each month was
its servant messenger it had none, for it
knew not that single other plant grew or
boomed 10 the universe. 1t looked upon
the shattered rocks covered with stains, and
knew not that these very stains were vege-
table growths like itself, but far below it.
1t knew not that within a mile, out Of this
rocky prison, thousand plants were grow
ing, in the same sun, the same air, in its
summer, and each one entitled to all the in
| huences of the sky which its nature could
hold or use, and that all around the globe,
changing latitudes, still other kinds OF
/ flowers, vines and trees, were multiplied in
infinite variety, all children Of the sun, and
yet differing the one from the other, in in
conceivable variations.


But, though alone and ignorant, the slen-
der stem threw out its blossoms passed
through every stage Of development, and
| let fall its seeds for the next year, and
all as perfectly as if it had grown on a
wide prairie with myriads Of its kind and
kindred


Among the human kind, there are not q
few living alone, or with any outward COM
panionship, while the real and inner life is
absolutely solitary. Their days are days
of toll, amid toilers for mere subsistence
They discern dimly the ways Of life afar off
and wonder and dream Of things that rise
10 their fancies, but which are never framed
to words, or even definite ideas. Full they
are of unsprouted gems Of poetry, Of ro
nance, Of heroism. But they grow among
rocks Books are letters Of introduction
from great souls to all the young aud needy
but poverty cannot own books and so there
be many that do not know that they belong
to the family of great souls. The only
+ outlet for their hearts is heavenward. Blu


the sky is full of birds of prey, aud they
dare not fly up into the clear air, lest ow
or hawk should seize them. The heaven


become forbidden ground God is not Il
them Sun, in whose light they grow ant
flourish, but a Master even more TO b.
dreaded and watched. With almost sinles
lives they pray necessarily for forgiveness
They strive to love deifed unloveliness anc
, failing, condemn their own hearts. To ever,
duty scrupulously faithful, they live pa


tiently, laboriously, with little JOY, witt


less hope, and die amidst doubts and fore


bodings. At last their dawning has come
God reveals the long-kept secret They ar
children of God brought home. They Sc
Him as lie is, and are like Him