Page 533 - Child's own book

not to tlie peonies and the tulips: no ! but to the humble daisy
m the grass* She was so frightened out of sheer joy, that slie
knew not what to think*
The little bird hopped round her, singing, “ Oh, how soft is
the grass; and what a lovely little flower that is, with gold In
its heart and silver on its garmentI for the yellow spot in the
daisy looked like gold, and the Jittie leaves around were as
dazzling white as silver.
No one could tell how happy the Jittie daisy felt. The bird
kissed heT with his beak, and then started hack into the blue
air above.
It was a full quarter of an hour before the flower could re­
cover from her emotion. Half ashamed, yet thrilling with
delight, she cast a glance towards the flowers in the garden.
They had seen the honour and the happiness that had been
conferred upon her* and they must be aware how great was
her joy. But the tulips stood stlffer than ever, only their
faces looked redder and more peaked, because they were vexed.
The peonies were thick-headcd; and it is well they could not
speak, or else the daisy would have liad a regular set down.
The poor little flower couid see they were out of sorts, and she
was heartily sorry for it. At tliis moment a girl came into the
garden with a laTge sharp shining knife in her hand, and went
straight up to the tulips, and cut down one after another. ft Oh
dear ! ” sighed the little daisy ; “ this is shocking ! It is now
all over with them /1— The girl then carried the tulips away.
The daisy rejoiced at being outside the garden in the grass* and
merely a poor little flower, and felt most thankful for her
humble lo t; and when the sun set, she folded up her leaves, and
went to sleep and dreamt the whole night long of the sun and
cf the little bird.
Next morning, when the flower oitoe more gladly spread all