The Young Folks.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 14

The Young Folks.

A Flower Fable.

i -Early one morning:a little Daisy open-, ed her . petals' as a child opens its eyes, ;and looked about her. Site 'found .her-', solf in- a garden full of sunshine and - fragranco-and. soft-murmurings.-"How"lovely, the" World' is!" she'exclaimed, in delight. •• • A bright-winged Butterfly, who perched airily on a blado of grass' near-by, 1 turned and stared at her. ' s i., "Well, I declare!" he grunted. "How came a . little weed liko. you into'.the' garden? . Don't you know that no wild flowers, are allowed, here?" - : . ''No,' I .didn't; know,": . answered the Daisy,'feeling Suddenly very much hurt. "And : besides,". she , added, ivishing to defend" herself, :"I couldn't" help coming. ■I- was only , born here just, a minute. ago." "Oh," said the Butterfly! "You aro ,a,'young thing. ,Well,-;I; don't believe jou'll. live., very., long.": "'Arid, fiutlering 'pertly; in" farewell; ~he 'laughed and "flew 'away^' ■' • The. Daisy drooped. . ' "Don't mind him," said a sweet, Emiling Pansy in. the'flower-bed opposite. !'tte doesn't riioan hiilf he says." "Do you tmnk I shall be allowed to stay ?" asked the Daisy. anxiously. ; ■"I don't' see - why not. : You'ro very pretty,"., answered the'-Pansy. "Oh, thank you," said the Daisy; and her ; whole face shone like a little round r- ;SUn. :. . ■' . ■ • ■ ' "She may be "allowed to stay. But, ;' onCthing sure, nobody.. will pick her/' i It . was tho scarlet Geraiiium who Rpoke. She. was very. big and very handsome, .but had ,a high and haughty air that ,'was not' altogether"pleasing. ; The Daisy /looked at her askance.: , - , "No more will anybody pick you. or • ae," said'a voice froiu'nigh: up in tho • air. :; "It was the Hollyhock's. "We're just':for garden decorations," it aiglieil. :; "Oli; but I don't understand," stam--1 mered the Daisy," perplexed.; . "Do you want- to bo - picked; and Iteo, this beautiful: garden? I love it,'and. should like to stay, always, until,!'.die." \ . ; "Anyone -can : se'e v that you : are new to -it," laughed the- Hyacinth, "It really ■is- a; very dull spot. .-.Nothing is ever 'doing here',;''and'. nobody; ever. l visits, us but Gladys." • ■-' .'

f: "And who is .Gladyq?" ;asked the Daisy, ishyiy.,'. TheTe/was ;"so much'to 1-earu. It. itemed . to, her -' tha t • sho' was really more 'gree'rt ,tlian f: t.he';grass''about'her. ;. "Gladys.is' the.; little girl who lives in the house at,.theVehd of the-garden," the friendly . Pansy explained. "This is her garden, and wo are all her . flowers. And ,y<ju;.:xaust know,".' sho' added,kindly, "(hat -it is tho greatest honour 'to he picked -by lier hand." - It means that we ara ono of the • of the chosen, ones. And we' aro all as. vain as if we were human. We'love-to be admired. ~; And ' so, you see, we would rather; be picked and- die young than be left to wither on the stem." . .

"I am beginning to understand," said the Daisy, thoughtfully. Then, after a pause, "I'believe I should like to be. picked," sho declared, "I should like to be thought beautiful." "You! A little upstart Daisy!" all the flowers laughed in chorus, all except .the Par.sy.. . ■ .- "You're only a trespasser!" said the -Geranium, grandly. .. You really don't here." ' The Daisy wanted to cry; but: she was too proud,' and wouldn't. Instead,. she lifted.her head, and, with-all her white petals" bristling, faced, thef Geranium. "One would think,"-she observed, "that politeness was as much a-stranger'to you 'tis I'...ftm." .Then, she , to. the ..Pansy. "1 hope it will :be : you that is chosen," she said.. , Tho Pansy- shook her. head... "Not when there: is a. Roso in ,the garden." She glanced up'at the. Rose-bush beside her, on which there was .but. olio, little flower, just ready to open. "Rosebud," she declared, "is the belle of the. garden." ( "You' forget I am still a bud," said the • Rose, blushing. "I have not come 'put yet." " ■ "You aro big enough.for a button-hole," said the Ransy. Then .she explained to the Daisy: "It is the greatest honour of all to bo chosen.by Gladys to bo put in her father's button-hole. Tho best vase in the parlour is nothing to her father's button-hole." ; The Daisy was very much impressed. She looked down at her feet, and was silent. -She was thinking how fine it must be. to. be a Eosebud, the belle of tho garden, worthy of adorning 'a father's button-hole. Presently she realised, that a hush had fallen; 011 the garden. She looked up, and saw that the faces of all the flowers were -turned to the hpuse. A littlo girl had just come out of the door; and wk? skipping down the path; This was Gladys, the Daisy told herself, and the great moment had arrived.' Gladys picked the Pansy and a lot of the Pansy's sisters for "the best vase in the parlour," as she said. Then sho called to a gentleman who was comingdown tho path behind her. "Come, daddy, dear," she said, "we must find the flower that is to go to the city with you this morning. Which shall it be? Rosebud is too -young yet. Geranium and Hollyhock would never do." She looked about her. Her feet were almost on the Daisy, crushing it,, when suddenly .her eyes. fell;.on'it. . "What a dear, little' Daisy!" she ex- . claimed, . "How brave and bright it will look in, your-' button-hole,, daddy! Just the thing!"'' " And . sho. stooped ~ and "picked it.