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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont fiim6s en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'iilustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur lei dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre fllm6s d des taux de reduction diffiArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour fttre reproduit en un seul clich6, 11 est film6 d partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I •A BUNCH OP FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. BT JENNIE FOWLER WILLING, Atithnr of 'fHammid Ditut," " The Only Way (hit," < From J-'i/Uen to Twenty h'lve," " The Putfi-tUil Woman," "A ttottn Be' s for Boy*;' " iron" iic. M Boston, Mahs. : McDOXALn, GILL & CO, Offick of The CnKtsriAM WiTNEsa, 36 BUOMFI£LD SXBEET. N0» 191888. ^<^v< Entered, according to Act of Congrew, in the year 1888, Bv SroDONALD, OILL & CO., lu the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. /•?- y^Sac CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAN8IKS * •' CHAPTER II. Lii.iKS OF THE Valley 13 CHAPTER HI. 26 Forget-me-nots *" CHAPTER IV. MOKNINO-GLORIES •" CHAPTER V. Flax ^ V f. „^lj_ C'O.VTA'.V'M. ( IIAPTKH VI. Foi'Ji-o'ci.ooKs nor.I-YHOCKH Dandkijons CIIAPTKU VII. CHAPTEK VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHBIBTMAH ItoBKH Lilies Roses Thr Vink CHAPTEK X. CHAPTEK XI. (CHAPTER XII. 62 69 08 W 83 M 104 104 CHAPTER I. PAN8IE8. Have you over noticed what bright, sweot faces pansies raise towards yours, when you bend over them in the gii'den ? They look like happy, contented little people. I have a friend who gave his little daugh- ter a bed of pansies for a birthday present. She was so delighted with them that when she came home from school, the first thing, she would run out to look at them, and pet, and talk to them, as if they were alive, and knew what she said. One day she told her mamma that she was sure she could tell one 5 ly^^f 6 A nVXC'II OV FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. of them if she were to meet it on the street. " There are no two of them that look alike," she said ; " indeed, mamma, though they are all lovely, they are no more like each other than the faces of the girls in school. And would you believe it, they seem to kuowme, and look up and smile whenever I come, as if they were glad to see me." I have no doubt that little girl was happier, and more careful to do the right thing all day in school, for the lesson she learned from her pansies. A sweet-tempered child is the pansy of the household; wh. .1 she comes in she brings the sunshine with her. Her mother finds the mists of care rolling off her heart, when she hears the chirping of her voice in the hall. Perhaps the baby has been cross all day on account of the toothache, that the poor, little things have so many days when they are not old enough to know what ails them, and nobody else can tell. If its mother were sure that it was only cutting teeth that I? GIULS. m the street, t look alike," ugh they are ;e each other school. And to know me, 'er I come, as I was happier, ght thing all learned from ! pansy of the ihe brings the her finds the art, when she 3 in the hall. Dss all day on he poor, little I they are not Is them, and mother were ig teeth that PANSIES. " makes it look so ill, and fret constantly, she would not feel so anxious about it ; but she sees the small, white hearse go by, drawn by white ponies, and with a little coiTin in it, and it makes her shudder when she thinks what if something serious is the matter with her own dear baby. Her mind is full of dismal thoughts, that make her fearfully tired, but her little girl comes in as bright as a pansy, and before the mother knows it, the clouds have passed away, the baby looks better, and everythiug seems glad again. I have seen a whole street car full of peo- ple brighten up when a pleasant-faced child came into the car. She might have done nothing except to show in a cheerful, pleas- ant manner that she was pei'fectly willing to stand when it was not convenient to have a seat, but I could see the clouds lift from the people's faces. Fathers, who were very tired with the hard work of their offices, began, to think of their own little daughters at home ; U' 8 A BVNCII OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. mothers thought of their little nestlings, and felt rested. Somebody remembered a little face laid away, pale and still, under the vio- lets, and then thought of her in Heaven with Jesus; and the little girl without knowing it was making people better. Some child who reads this will feel the blood coming into her face. She cannot help remembering how she sometimes finds fault, and pouts, when things are not to her mind, forgetting how much other people have to annoy them, and adding to their dis- ccAnfort by showing her ill-temper. She looks up shyly, and asks, "Suppose one has a way of getting cross, and being hateful, how is she going to help it?" If you want to be a pansy, yourself, the first thing to do is to go to work as if you had it all to do with no one to help. I once knew a little girl whose mother was thoughtless enough to scold her severely if she did anything wrong, even if she did not mean to do the mischief. If she P0« aiRLS. e nestlings, and jmberecl a little , under the vio- in Heaven with dout knowing it lis will feel the le. She cannot sometimes finds nas are not to ich other people ling to their dis- smper. asks, "Suppose jross, and being io help it?" If Durself, the first as if you had it I, L whose mother 3old her severely even if she did ischief. If she PANSIBS. ^ broke a dish, or tore her dress, she would have to hear a great many sharp things said about it that made her poor heart ache all day. When she was only eleven years old, she was off by herself crying over a scolding that she had had for some small offense, when all at once it came to her that she would be a grown-up woman some- time, and she said, " I will never, never make anybody feel as bad as I do now ; I will never scold anybody as long as I live ; I will keep my lips shut so tightly that the ugly words cannot get out to hurt anybody." She kept her word, though, I am sorry to say, the scold was in her heart, and would come out of her eyes, and her face would be clouded even when she did not say the hate- ful words. She found out that shutting them back didn't quite answer. By and by rihe came to see that she could go to the I.ord Jesus and ask Him to take the cross- uess out of her heart. He did so, and then, the queer part of it was, people seemed so 'I ;i 'J' 10 A nvNcn OF flowers for girls. much kinder to her than thoy used to be, and she was very seldom scolded. The fact is, she didn't mind every little word as she had done before. The fret was all washed out of her heart by the blood of Jesus, and she became as sunshiny a little body as you ever saw. If you want to be a pansy, and make everybody in the house gladder and happier, you must find out how to be as amiable as you want other people to be. You must do your best to act as you want them to act. Then you must go to the Lord, and ask Him to forgive you for every- thing you have ever done that Avas wrong. Tlien ask Him to wash all the bad temper out of your heart with His blood. You must do this, not that you may be happy yourself, or even that you may make other people happier, but because He will be better pleased with you, for that is the kind of child He wants you to be. You must believe that He does this, and thank Him for it, and you will find that it is doiKj. ill Ids >R GIRLS. Y used to be, ed. The fact I word as she IS all washed of Jesus, and body as you a pausy, and gladder and 3w to be as leople to be. as you M'ant t go to the )u for every- was wrong. bad temper I. you may be I may make e He will be ; is the kind You must thank Him doive. PANHIES. 11 Once there was a king who had a beauti- ful garden, and when he went into it one day he found everything drooping and fad- ing. He said, "Why, what's the matter here?" "Oh," the vine said, "I cannot grow tall, and slender, and beautiful, like the pine, and I don't want to grow any more ; there's no use." The pine said, " I cannot bear fruit like the apple tree ; I am good for nothing ; I don't want to live any more." And the apple tree said, " My flow- ers are just little, simple, common things; they are not beautiful and large like the roses, with everybody praising them ; I can't live any longer." And so everything was finding fault, and looking as wretched as it could. At last the king came to a little heart's-eas( , (you know that is another name for the pansy), and it looked up at him as bright and glad and sweet as ever. He said, " Heart's-ease, you don't seem to have fallen into this general trouble. They are all find- ing fault, but you seem to be happy and m ■ii 12 A BUNCH OF FLOWKItS FOK QlllLS. glatl." " Yes," said tlie little flower, " when you planted the seed out of which I grew, you didn't want a pine, nor an oak, nor an upi.le tree, nor a vine, nor a rose; you wanted just a little heart's-ease. And now to please you, I am going to be just the best little heart's-ease that ever I can." This made the king liappy, and while he had to bring the others out of their discontent the best he could, he was glad there was one plant that was willing to do just the very best it knew how to please him. So you must make up your mind to try to be in yourself just the kind of person you think Jesus would tell you to be, if He were to come into the house, or into the school-room, or upon the play-ground, and tell you in words what sort of child he loves best. t'On GIRLS. le flower, " when f which I grew, an oak, nor an T a rose ; you ise. And now to be just the best I can." This vliile he had to discontent the there was one just the very 1 him. So you ;o try to be in rson you think if He were to he school-roort), ul tell you in ves best. CHAPTER n. LILIES OP THE VALLEY. Jesus said, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil not, neithor do they spin ; and yet [ say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not ar- rayed like one of these." These gentle, quiet, little flowers, like a chime of tiny, silver bells, echo the sweet command to " take no thought for the morrow," but put all trust in Him Who clothes the grass, and crowns the lilies with their delicate and ex- quisite beauty. The lesson seems to be, "Be contented 1& a ! J' H 14 A DUNCII OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. with wlmt He gives you. Don't make up your iniiul to get for yourself everything tliat strikes your fancy, and then fret, and tease if you cannot liave it, but be happy in tlie Lord, and make others so." The larger part of the troubles that peo- ple, little and big, bother themselves with, comes from trying to get the best for them- selves. Children are afraid that somebody else is going to have a larger piece of cake or candy, or more attention, than they. They are never happy unless they have the best place, and the most notice. If all were of the same spirit everybody would have a bad time in everything, for only one or two would be able to crowd into the best places. In a family the disagreeable little " fusses," as we call them, grow out of someone trying to get what others want. They cannot all have the best, and every child ought to be willing to leave the parents to give to one or another, as they think it is needed or deserved. Some children even go so far as to accuse FOR niRia. Don't make up rself overythinjj 1 then fret, and but be happy in rubles that peo- hemselves with, I beat for them- that somebody ir piece of cake ban they. They r have the best If all were of )uld have a bad ne or two would it places. In a " fusses," as we ne trying to get not all have the o be willing to )ne or another, leserved. \v as to accuse ULIKS OF THE VALLEY. 15 their parents of partiality. One sometimes overhears them say, " There I You are al- ways getting Mary the nicest dress. You don't care one bit how I look, or if I ever have anything neat or pretty." Now fathers and mothers may have favorites among their children, though they do not nearly so often as the cross ones think they do. If you should not seem to be petted and loved as much as some of the rest, it will not make them love you any better for you to grumble and find fault all the time. Some scholars are always accusing the teacher of showing partiality. If you be- lieved all they said, you would think they were never given a fair chance to get ahead, and that they had a great deal more than their share of scoldings and punishment. The main part of the trouble is, they are trying to have their own way, instead of finding out what the rules are, and obeying them. They give any amount of time, that ought to be used in learning their lessons, in 16 A BUNCH OF f'LOWKuS FOR OIJl/.S. '\l i trying to get avouncl tlie nileH, l)reaking tliein when tlioy please, and escaping punish- ment The worst part of tliis is, tlmt habits formed in the family and in the school, go with men and women as long as they live. All their days they will be trying to get the best place> and have their own way, and that will keep them unhappy most of the time. That is one reason why some old people have such deep, criss-cross lines on their faces. They have lived selfishly and disobediently ; they have tried to have their own way; and they have fought till they were full of cross words and hard feelings, and have been beaten in every battle. If people are ever going to learn to give up for the sake of the comfort of others, they must begin when they are children. You have seen pictures of the charming, little performances of canary birds, playing with toy cannons like soldiers, carrying guns, aiming and firing at each other, pretending 1 aiiiLs. 68, l)reaking ipiiig punish- tlmt habitfl le Hchool, go as they live. [J to get the ay, and that of the time. people have their faces, sobediently ; 'n way; and full of cross have been am to give others, they en. le charming, rds, playing rrying guns, , pretending l.U.IKS OF rilK VM.I.EW 17 to bo Idllod, and hniiig caniod of!" tho l)uttlo- ficld by the rent. Now tlio.sn birds ctiuld never have; learned such woiiderfid tlnnjrs if their tcaciiers had not begun with thoui \hon they were little. It is just so with people : they seldom learn anything well unless they begin when they are young. If you want to be nsoful and hap])y when you grow up, you must learn to give up your way when you are a child. There is a twist of wrinkles all around one pair of bright, black eyes that are look- ing up at me, "Of course," says the little girl. "I know tiiat everybody ought to give vip to everybody, and bo satisfied not to n^^ke a fuss if they don't just get everything they want; but what is anybody going to do who has such a disposition that it doesn't seem as if she ever could give up when she makes up her mind to have a thing ? " Well, dear; if you really have such a disi)osition as that, it is half cured when you have found it out and are willing to own it to yourself. A JWNCIt Of fl.OWKIiS FOR UIIiLS. Most clilldron mnke cxcusi's fur tlioirimiiglity ways. It is always " 8uo inaile mc," or "Tom teases mo so awfully," or "Jeunio struck mo first." When one sees that she has a selfish anil untrustful spirit, of course she will go to work at once to get rid of it, the sooner the better ; for bad dispositions are like weeds, all you have to do is to let them alone, and they grow so big and stout you cannot pull them up at all. They are like those great burdocks that you soe sometimes. If one were in your flower bed, it would take up all the ground, and choke out the flowers, and fill everybody's clothes with those hateful burrs that prick your fingers when you try to pull them off. You mig.it pull away at the ugly old thing all day long, and you couldn't make its stout roots let go of the ground. When it first came up you could have pulled it up with your thumb and one finger. If you want to get rid of a selfish disposi- IllLS. iriuiughty I mo," or : "Jennie lulfiHh and vill go to ■ioonor the ke weeds, nlone, and xniiot pull hose great i. If one take up all jwers, and se hateful in you try all away at ;, and you t go of the you could lb and one ish disposi- Lll.lKs OF Tfn: VM.I.KY. 10 tlnn that is iiUvays ofTniidod when you don't g«!t quite nil tliat hch.ngs to you, and hiivo in its place the "nieok and (juiot spirit," that the IJiblo says is "of great price," you must begin by making up your mind to put down your own Btubbornness. One of your play- mates has a prettier dress than you ; yours looks very coarse and connuon beside it. Don't allow yourself to be envious or sour about it, and whisper in tlie ear of some girl who will not tell, "I don't think she looks one bit nicer than the rest of us, with all her fine things. If I were as black as she is, I'd want bright dresses too, to make people forget how homely I was. If her father were as honest as mine, and j)aid all his debts, she couldn't have any more fine things than I have. See how stuck-up she is about lier new dress." If any of these ugly thoughts are put into your head by the bad spirit, don't let them get out of your lips. Bo good natured and kind, no matter how disagreeable other people are. 20 A liUNCII UF F LOW h: Its FOR GIRLS. One little girl, wlio luis at home a house full of brothers, aiul who knows quite too well how boys can tease, asks half poiitingly if I think girls ought always to give up everything to their brothers. " Because, you know," she adds, " there would be no end of it. The boys would spoil everything, and not care the least bit about it. They will tease the very life out of you, if you don't stand up for your rights." I don't think girls ought to give up any more than the boys do. The truth is, the poor, dear fellows are allowed to tease their sisters, and run about nights, and do as they please, till they have a hard time trying to be sweet, gentle, pure Christians. I remember hearing about a man who tried to give his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was days and days praying, until it seemed as though he would go crazy. He told the min- • ister that the trouble was with him, when he was a little boy his mother let him have his own way. His father was a sea-captain, and mi (JIRLS. me a house /s quite too i poutingly ;o give up iecause, you 16 no end of yrthing, and They will f you don't ;ive \\\} any ruth is, the tease their I do as they trying to be I remember to give his st. He Avas it seemed as told the min- im, when he lim have his -captain, and LILIES OF THE VALLEY. 21 very seldom at home, as he was usually off with his ship upon tlie sea. When this child was eleven years old, he swung a whip over his mother's head, and dared her to touch him, when he deserved punishment. Ilis will had grown so strong that when he tried to yield it to the Lord, it seemed almost im- possible for him to give up. I think that is one reason why there are so many more women and girls that become Christians than there are men and boys. It takes a great deal of common sense to get along with teasing folks. It is usually the best way to give up, and get out of their reach, when it is not positively wrong to do so. Of course you must be firm when it would grieve the Saviour to have you give up. You always want to do as nearly as you can what you think would please Him, if He were standing beside you, as He really is, and listening to every word you say. You will have to submit for yourself; nobody can force you to give up your own way. They nap ! S 22 A BUNCH OF FLOWfmS FOR GIRLS. might beat you till you gave up to save your- self the pain, but, after all, it would not be the kind of yielding that amounts to any- thing. Not even the Lord Himself can make you submit unless you choose to do so. A great deal of the trouble that is in families, in the church, and in the world, among grown peo- ple, comes from their having learned this lesson so imperfectly. Years ago, when the prairies were first broken, there was one plant that they called redroot. It did not look very stout, or seem much in the way, but the great breaking plow and ten" yokes of oxen could hardly tear its roots loose, so as to kill it. The plowmen used to have to carry an axe to chop it off down in the groiuid. Some careless men would lift out the plow and go around the redroot, rather than have the trouble of carrying an axe to cut it off. Tliey would leave it growing, and it would bother the farmer always whenever he came to that place. lIItLI^. LILIES OF THE VALLEY. save your- ild not be its to auy- make you . A great lies, in the jrown peo- sarued this were first they called lit, or seem it breaking luld hardly 11 it. The axe to chop ne careless go around trouble of 'hey would bother the ue to that Some people think it does not matter how many roots of selfishness there may be in their hearts, if they do not look very bad on the surface. But I do not think so. God sees all the meanness away back where no- body else knows ajiything about it, and the best thing is to get liim to make it all right as we go along. You must give up your way, and let other people have theirs, because you want to please the Saviour. Conquer your selfish disposition for His sake, and He will con- quer it for you. He said, " Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Those who are ready to take a low place and let others have the best, because that is the place the Lord wants them to be in, are sure to have the very happiest time. They have just what the Lord wants them to have, and nothing can be better than that. When, to please Him, you give up things that you want very much, He takes notice of every little sacrifice, I li^ 24 A BUNCH OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. and He never forgets to take care of those who try to please Him. It is easy to trust Him to see that we have a good time, when we are doing, the best we know, as He wants us to do. I heard a young girl say once, that when she gave herself all up to Christ, she thought it was going to spoil every plan, and nothing would go the way she wanted it again. " But," she said, " Ho knows best, and I wanted it His way." And afterwards she found that everything that she gave up was given back to her with His blessing, and she had a thousiind times happier life than she could possibly have planned for herself. A child who lives her little life as simply and naturally as the lilies live, will be made bcr.utiful by our Lord, and He will use her to help people, older and wiser than herself, to see that they must love and trust Him in the same sweet way. A grand duchess, in her walks through her grounds, saw that the little daughter of her gardener, was a sweet, simple child, care- c c c i: 1 r t 8 a t E 1; 1 -li b s t( li h URLS. I'e of those ly to trust ;ime, when } lie wants ' once, that [yhrist, she f plan, and wanted it lows best, afterwards le gave up s blessing, appier life anned for ttle life as } live, will id He will wiser than ! and trust £3 through Laughter of child, care- LILIES OF THE VALLEY. 26 fully trained in all good things. One day she had her brought into the palace. When dinner was served, and the ladies of honor came in, they watched the child to see what effect all this splendor, the fine furniture, the silver, tlie gay dresses of the ladies, would have upon her. To their surprise she seemed not to care very much about it. When the dinner was ready and they were seated at the table, she bowed her head and they all stopped talking and waited to see what she would do next. Slie clasped her hands and said softly: "Dear Lord Jesus, I thank Thee for my food and clothing, for my home and friends. Though I dress plain- ly now, I pray Thee let me be clothed in Thine own righteousness forever ; though I -live on coarse fare, I pray Thee let me break bread with Thee in Thy Kingdom." Wlien she raised her head the ladies were all in tears, and the grand duchess said : " Dear little Gretchen, I would give my realm to have thy simple, beautiful trust." CHAPTER III. FORGET-ME-NOTS. If you have never seen them growhig, you often see them in pictuies, — five delicate, pale-blue petals, with a dot of yellow in the centre. Friends love to be remembered by those who are dear to them, when they are absent. Sometimes when they part they give each other these flowers, meaning to say by that : "Don't forget me while you are away; re- member to do the things that you know will please me." God wants you to remember Him for your 26 ow tui for be( Yo thi pei ne^ Th tea wo is '. the the pie J ont eac the the the ev( we FOROET-ilE-NOTS. 27 A rowing, you ve delicate, }llow iii the d by those are absent. r give each ay by that : ( away; re- i know will im for your own good. He says, " The wicked shall be turned into hell, with all the nations that forget God." Those who were bad were so because "God was not in all their thoughts." You must remember that He hears every- thing you say. Sometimes little girls whis- per their secrets to each other, promising never to tell as long as they live and breathe. They would not have their mothers or their teachers know what they are saying for the world. They ought to remember that God is listening. If there is anything in what they say that would grieve their mothers, they may be sure that God will not be pleased with it. A couple of men were shut up in a prison once, and while they were talking low to each other, they stopped, and in the silence they heard the scratching of a pen. Then they understood that just the other side of the partition was somebody writing down every word they said, and that when they were put upon trial for the crime of 28 A UUNVn OF FLOWKUS FOR GIJiLS. which they were ncoused, everything they had said to eacli other would bo read in evi- dence against them. Every HyUablo that you utter U written in God's book. Jesus said, " For every idle word that men shall speak, they must give account in the day of judgment." The Bible tells about the time when " tho books shall be opened," and every- body shall be judged by the things written in the books. You must be careful not to whisper in anybody's ear anything that you do not want to hear read from God's book ; ,, for, remember, it is all written there. You must not forget that God sees every- where. You cannot hide from Him. A little boy was urged to take a peach from a large basket. " The man will never miss it," said the other boy, " there are so many of them. He doesn't know how many." " Yes," said the other one, " but then you know God counts." Children learn very early to do mischief on the sly. They think their parents and toa I'mk Till Cnii .sllil I I] iiiti Iteii (ilk llie .slia sl.a lies hgl the Lo: the wa yoi the to: Hi B GIRLS. rythiiig they read in evi- sylhiblo that book. Jesus at men sliiill u the day of out the tiuio I," iiiidevery- lings written iireful not to ing that you God's book ; there. d sees every- Him. 1 a peach from 11 never misa are so many how many." but then you io mischief on parents and FORflKT-MK-S'OTti. 29 teachers cannot sou Ihoin, and will never liiid it out, and so it is safe to do wrong. They forget tiio word of tlic IJible, " Thou, Gdd, seost nie." David said, "Whitlicr ■sliiill I go from tliy spirit? or whither shall I llee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my l)cd in hell, behold, thou art there. If I lake the wings of the morning, and dwell in llio uttermost parts of the sea ; even there .shall thy hand lead me, and thy riglit hand .shall hold me. If I say, Surely the dark- ness shall cover me ; even the night .shall be light about me. . . . The darkness and the light are both alike to thee." You must not forget the commands of the Lord. For instance, Ho says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." He dosen't want you to seek your own pleasure, or speak your own words, or even think your own thoughts on His day. Every hour belongs to Him, and must bo spent in remembering Ilim ; thinking of His love and goodness, II ' 30 A nUNVIt OF h'LOWKHS f'OH (IlKI.S. and talking about them, hearing about tlieuj, or reading about them. I have known people to take a part of the Lord's time for tlieniselves, by sleeping later on Sabbath morning, than they did on week days. They had wfM-ked or played so hard on Saturday, that tlsoy had to rest on Sunday so as to be ready to begin again on Monday. It would be a sad drudgery to them to think of having to talk about Ciod all day. I am sure I don't know what such people will do when they get to Heaven, where all the talk and thought are about the Lord. The trou- ble is, they don't love Him well enough. They ought to go to Him, and get a heart that loves Him so much it would never be tired of talking of His goodness. He says He will make the Sabbath a delight. It is not easy for a child to keep God's day holy when other people are careless about it. I remember a young girl who used to have to sit alone by herself when all the family went riding on Sunday, and when they had com- i (ilUl.s. ibuut tlkeiii, jmrt of tlio 3eping later id on week ^ed 80 hard b on Sunday m Monday. BUI to think day. I am iple will do all the talk The trou- ell enough, get a heart lid never be 8. He 8ay8 light. It is I's day holy about it. I I to have to family went ly had coni- rOKUKT MK-NOTS. 31 pany, gay, worldly people, who cared noth- ing about the Lord. She seoined unlike the rest, and soniotimes they would laugh, and make fun of her ; but hIio kept right on, and grew to be a very earnest, strong Christian. There waa a little girl in our Sunday-school once, who gave her heart to the Lord when she was only nine years old. There was not another Christian in her home. Sunday was their visiting day. When her uncles and aunts would come to have a jolly time with her father and niotlior on Siniday, she would go off by herself. Perhaps one of the aunts would say, " Where is Nettie ? " " Oh," her mother would reply, "siie's the queerest child that ever you saw. If you'll come soft- ly to this bedroom door, I'll show you where she is and what she is doing." And then they would tip-toe up to the door, and her mother would open it very quietly, and they would peep in ; and sometimes they would see Nettie with her Bible on her lap reading, or she would be on her knees, and they could 'Hi liear her praying (io.l to fi.rgivc thoiv hu.s. an.! to inako tluMU all l-.v., Him, and bo gocil, nmlkcci. His day lu.ly. Tl.cy w<.uld hI.uI tlic door, and tl.ou-h tliey laughod, and said funny tilings about it, down in their hearts they know the child was right, and thoy were wrong. The Lord wants you to remember and h)VO HirtWord. Jesus said, "Search the Scrip- tures, for m them ye think ye have eternal life." I have known people to be ashamed to be'seen reading the Bible. It seems to me - thei'r hearts must bo very hard towards the Lord. Years ago in Ireland there was a little girl who got hold of a Bible in some way. She was 80 delighted with it that she commit- ted fifty chapters to uiemory. Then the priest found out that she had that Book, and he said she must give it up. He took it to burn it. That was a sore trial to her, but she looked up to her mother through her tears, and said: "There's one IIIUl.S. > Ihoir HI lis. 11(1 1)0 good, would si nil. ed, and 8iiiry in your heart with which to begin the day. Jul, 1 ■-»«»^ CHAPTER V. FLAX. I HAVE a pretty apron that a young girl made for mc. It has in one corner ctclied in red cotton, a small flax wheel, and in another a flower of the flax plant, and in old-fasliioned letters the words, " Get thy spindle and thy distaff ready, and God will send thee flax." rerha]is you have seen the pattern. It has a good hint in it. We must have the delicate blue flax blos- som in our bunch of flowers, to remind us that we are to be industrious. Even in the Old Testament days flax was the article on 45 t'lll * I- 41 .1 nuxcii or flowkks for oirls. people (Id not got tiino tor, mainly because sh.) has that first morning honr. Ask the Savionr to give y<')i strength to master yourself, and get you started right; so that you can have a sweet little niorning-gh>ry in your lieart with which to begin the day. re( let iVu l\ go SO] till 01 mw IRLS. ly because Ask the to master lit; 80 that ig-gl.iy in day. CHAPTER V. FLAX. I HAVE a pretty aiiroii that a young girl made for mc. It has in one corner ctciied in red cotton, a small flux wheel, and in another a flower of the flax plant, and in old-fashioned letters the words, " Get thy spindle and thy distaff ready, and God will send theo flax." Perhaps j'ou have seen the pattern. It has a good hint in it. We must have the delicate blue flax blos- som in our bunch of flowers, to remind us that we are to be industrious. Even in the Old Testament days flax was the article on 46 i U i 46 A IWNCn OF FLOWKUS FOR OIHLS. which womoii worked, siml out of wliidh they nmdc their clothes, unci miiiiy things for tlio comfort of their liomea. The priests' gar- ineiits were of fine twined linen. God was so pleiised with those who wore skillful in this work, that He gave them special wisdom that they might make the cur- tains for the Tahernacle that lie told Moses to build in the wilderness. The Lord's iiiodel woman was sketched by Solomon in the thirty-Orst chapter of Prov- erbs. He says, " She seoketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands." That was necessary that she miglit become a business woman; for he said also, "She deliv- ereth girdles to the merchant," and " She per- ceiveth that her merchandise is good." If you would be industrious when you are a woman, you must begin as a little girl. If you have not been so fortunate as to be born in a home wliere all have to work, and have been accustomed to have servants to do everything for you, it wUl be difficult for you J, UlULS. wliidli they iiigH for tlio priodts' gar- ) who woio giivo thorn Hike the cur- told Moses sketched by ter of Prov- ool and flux, her bauds." lit become a , " Slie deliv- ^d " She per- ;ood." rhen you are ttle girl, nate as to be to work, and jrvants to do ficult for you h'LAX. 47 % to be industrious. Perliaps your mother will bo us wise iis a lady whom I once know. Slie l»ud a large family of daughters, but though she was very rich, slie obliged tlieui all to take care of their owu rooms, make their own clothes, and ilo just as much about the house as the daughters of poor people usually have to d: All mothers are not so wise, however. Some spoil tlieir daugiiters by bringing them up in idleness. It is very hard for such chil- dren ever to learn to work. It is not uncom- mon for tliem to lose their property, and be- come poor ; and then, not knowing how to work, they are in liard circumstances all their lives. Many of you live in villages and on farms, where both parents have to work hard to keep the home in comfort. Would it not seem quite selfish for a little girl to spend her time in play and lounging around with a story book, wlule the rest were working as hard as they could to make a pleasant bome for her? Christ could certainly never be pleased with such conduct. i 1 \ '111' am j^'. ^^ 48 A nuNcn of flowkus for gikLs. Probably invost of the givls to whom I am talking, will have to work when they grow up. It will never come easy to then unless they learn when they are children. I knew a little girl whose mother was determined to make her industrious, and though she was not very fond of work, she was obliged to knit twenty times around a stocking every day. Sometimes she thought it very hard ; other children were not obliged to do so. But I have heard her say since she has grown to be a Christian worker, and does a great deal of good, that that was one of the best things that could have happened to her. It , gave her what was better than a fortune, a habit of industry. There is a great deal of work to be done. There are books to write, schools to be estab- lished, missionaries to be sent to foreign coun- tries and to the poor of our own land. We need a "-reat deal of temperance work. Only wonien who are industrious can bear their part in these things. So much has come to li 8 e i: j> ti tl h w lliLS. •horn I am ;liey grow c:n unless . I knew srmined to 1 she was obliged to :ing every ^ery hard ; to do so. has grown es a great f the best to her. It a fortune, to be done. to be estab- reign coun- land. We ork. Only bear their las come to FLAX. 49 women to do, that was never drea -led of when I was a child, I wonder what will be before you wlien you are grown up. You want to have such industrious habits that you can know and do your part. We are commanded in the Bible to work while it is called to-day. Jesus said, "My Father worketh hitherto and I work." Paul said, " If any man will not work neither shall he eat." It is plain enough to be seen that the Lord is not pleased with idle people. There is work even for children to do. I heard a lady who was a missionary in Japan say that the little girls in her school were so eager to teach the heathen around them, that they would hurry through their lessons, and, just as soon as their recitations were over, they would take their Testaments, and go out into the little cabins to read the Bib^e to the poor women. If those little, converted heathen could do so much to get others saved, what ought not we to do who are Christians, 60 A BUNCIt OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. and who have known so long what Christ can do for sinners. You must find ont what you can do, and make yourselves ready to do it. Many years ago a little Welsh girl.went every Su.ulay to hear Rev. Thomas Charles preach in the town of Bala, in Wales. She was very atten- tive and well-behaved, never laughing and whispering, as some girls are careless enough to do. When Mr. Charles met her in the street during the week, he would ask her to give him the text that he preached from the Sabbath before. She could usually do it with- out any trouble; but one day when he asked her the text she could not tell it, and her eyes filled with tears. " What is the matter, my child ? " Her answer was, » The weath- er, sir, has been so bad I could not get to read the Bible." " Could not get to read the Bible : " exclaimed Mr. Charles, " Why, what does that mean?" "Why, sir," answered the child, " we have no Bible in our house, but there is one in a house the other side of the ;., IRLS. Christ can fin do, and iany years Sunday to ch in the very atten- ighing and ess enough her in the ask her to d from the y do it with- Bu he asked it, and her the matter, The weath- not get to t to read the " Why, what •," answered ur house, but ir side of tlie FLAX. Bl mountain that I can look at whenever T choose. Tlie weather has been so bad this week, that I have not been able to get there." lie found that she had been in tlie habit of walking seven miles over the mountain and back, to read the chapter from which he had taken his text t he previous Sunday,— fourteen miles every time she read tlie Bible. That was in the year 1802, before there was any ^ plan for distributing the Bible among people, '^ and that very incident was the means of starting the first Bible Society in the world. When Mr. Charles went to London that year, he and another minister proposed to form a society to supply the nation and the world with Bibles ; and the people continued to talk about it, until a society was formed under the name of the British and Foreign Bible Society. You see how much good the little Welsh girl flid by walking fourteen miles over the mountain to read her chapter in the Bible. It was the means of giving hundreds of thousands of people the Word of God. ! 1 u CHAPTER VI. F0UK-0't!L0CK8. Have you ever seen that nice, old-fash- ioned country flower called the four-o'clock? It always unfolds its pretty cup at four in the afternoon. I am sure I do not know how it tells the time, nor why it should come out at just that hour. Maybe it is that the little folks coming home from school, through the heat and dust, may have a bright, fresh wel- come when they get into the yard, and run up to the old house door. I think this flower is one of the Lord's les- sons in punctuality. Do you know what 52 FOUR-0' CLOCKS. 08 old-fash- r-o'clock? our in the nv how it line out at the little rough the fresh wel- 1, and run Lord's les- now what that long word means? If you ought to be in school at nine o'clock, and don't get there till fifteen minutes past, you are not punc- tual. People who are punctual are ulwiiys just where they ought to be at the very time, and never keep others waiting for them. Suppose tlie flowers Iiad an afternoon meet- ing appointed for four. Tliey would say that they must bo ready to open their exercises by the time the four-o'clocks were out, and then they would be sure to make nobody wait. Some think that the time of children is of no account. They waste as much of it as they please. Tliey forget that there is every- tliing for the small people to learn, and only a few years in wliicli to learn it ; and if they get a habit of wasting the time, they will go through life always behind. You can buy a bar of iron for five dollars, but when it is made into watch-springs it is worth two Imndred and fifty tliousand dol- lars. If you mean to have the watch-springs li j. ,1 A DUNCU OF FLOWERS FOR QIRL8. by and by, yuii cannot afford to tliiow away the plain, coarse bar of iron. After awhile your time will be worth so much au hour. The more you learn to crowd into it now, when it isn't worth so much, the more it will be worth then. If you waste some things, you can find others to make up the loss ; if you waste an hour, it is gone forever, and you can never find it again. A story is told of a Roman Emperor who exclaimed with the utmost sorrow, " I have lost a day ! " It is said that when Queen Elizabeth was dying she cried out, " Millions of money for an inch of time ! " Probably if she had used well her hours earlier in life, her work would have been done so that she would not regret that she had come to the end of her days. If you do not want to be bankrupt for time when you are old, you must use every min- ute as well as you can while there seems to be plenty. Out on the frontier where the Indians live who have no clocks, they walk RLS. f'OUn-O'rLOCKS. 55 row away er awhile ail hour. J it now, ive it will le things, e loss; if ever, and leror who , " I have ibeth was money for had used 3rk would not regret r days. )t for time very miu- seems to vhere the they walk about in an aimless v/iiy, i s if they never had anyi ),'t'- and nover expected to have ; and Jie wlnt^ iple, wlio are waitin^^ •\. the towns to grow to make their land wortli something, are not much more rapid in their movements. In that region I notice that the railroad trains run as they please, as far as time is concerned. In a town in New Mexi- co they said : " We will telephone to the sta- tion and see how many hours the train is be- hind, so that you need not be in Iiaste about going down there. You may have to wait a great while." In older, settled countries where people are driving all sorts of business, every train must start "on time' to the half- minute. If you expect ever to amount to much, you must learn to be prompt in what- ever you undertake to do. When the breakfast-bell rings, be ready to slip into your seat as soon as the rest take theirs. Don't oonie in after the blessing is asked, and your father has begun to serve the food. Of all things don't keep them waiting for you, ■ 66 A Simcil OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. ^ Never bo late at school. You will be cut down in your standing, if you are niarki'.id collect your thoughts, instead of being quiet and restful, with your wits about you. Besides, if you start in that way, you will be sure to forget something that will bother you and others all day. " There comes Miss Flutterbudget," they v.ill say. " She is never in season, and never knows just what she is about." If you have formed such a habit, let me advise you to break it at once. Promise yourself never to be late at school again ; and ask the Lord Jesus to help you keep the promise. Some are always late at Sabbath-school and church, which is quite as bad as to be tardy in school. They disturb others ; they take people's attention, and make confusion, if they come in after the service is begun ; \ (J a I V h d s< y ti II is oJ P li) us. 11 be cut niarkcw much the young girls of China have to suffer on account of this false notion of beauty. Their mothers cannot begin the binding of their feet till the children are five or six years old, for fear that it will kill them, and they must keep them stupid with opiates duruig the process, for fear their screams will drive the people out of the house. Have you ever gone to church or Sunday-scl'.ool with tight new shoes on? How your feet did ache, and how glad you were to get home where you could unbutton your shoes and put on old ones. Think how :i 1 .•r Ml i 66 A BUNCH OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. it would seem to have your little toe put un- der your foot aiul Ixniiul with a stout band- age. When it had grown into your foot tlien the next one to it, and by and by the next one, and after awhile the next, until you could wear a shoe that was only two or three inches long. Chinese women think it is a disgrace to work, so they not only pinch their feet in that miserable way, but they let their nails grow like birds' claws. Sometimes they are six inches long, and have to be kept in gold cases to keep them from breaking. Of course a woman cannot do anything with lier hands in that plight. She cannot even comb her own hair. Poor foolish things ! While some are making themselves so fat they can hardly waddle along, others are pinching their feet, and others are drawing in their waists so that they can hardly breathe. They are letting their minds grow full of weeds, instead of being like a garden of flowers, with nice, pleasant walks and pretty blossoms RLS. e put un- out band- your foot id by the , until you o or three isgrace to lir feet in their nails i they are 3t in gold Of course lier hands lb her own 3 some are jan hardly their feet, ists so that are letting instead of with nice, ms ■**P"MP*itiinpi<* llOlTA'ltOCKS. er What a girl ought to do is to get all the fmo, strong thoughts into her mind that she ]uis.sibly can, and all the good, kind fueling towards eveiybody ; but above all, the love, reverence and obedience to the liord that will make her beautiful to Him. Let her be pure and lovely in His eyes, that He may give her good work to do for Himself, and a home in heaven forever. »^».«Merful people than those, though they lived always in the dark. Some of the happiest a;i(l most useful have been shut in by incurable disease. I knew a lady who had not raised her head from the pillow for thirty years. Most of the time she ^ was in aevero pain. She could not even move her limbs or feet. She could use her fingers enough to write a few lines when the paper w.is placed in a frame on her chest. Was she happy? Her room was always full of the sunslune of heaven. I do not think there was another woman in the town who did as much good as she. The moment you stepped into the room you felt as if you were in the presence of one who talked always with the Lord. You would remember for y a W li %!'~'Sf|'j/^,f.9!>.; fllLS, DANliF.LlONS. n t still, l)iit hIio kiK'w Itiickwivnl while the iv nuHtiikn hor fiico, hiiu those, i-k. joful hiivo I knew a from the e time she not even d use her when the lier chest, ways full not think tow II who ment you you were ed always ember for years the sweet, unscllish tilings she said about llim and Ilis work. So you see, God wants you to be very liai)- py and useful, though you may bo obliged to live a lowly, commoniilaco life. CHAPTER IX. CHRISTMAS BOSE8. What I have said about the dandelion has set me thinking of the Christmas roses that a lady gave me last autumn. They were the first I had ever seen. She went out into the garden, to the place where she knew they were growing, an I pushed away the snow and ice, and picked a bunch of beautiful white flowers. I had seen tlie eiddtoeis blossoms that grow within a few inches ot the glaciers, the great ice-fields of Switzerland. They are all wrapped up in soft, furry leaves, and yet they seem very brave to lift their heads so TO nt w^ ai: us in th "8 Lc do mi se( su CI we op sp( tei ch: lac ho; wi dit idelion has ■OSes that a ' were the lut into the knew they le snow and itiful white is blossoms ;he glaciers, . They are res, and yet sir heads so CimitiTMAS ROSES. 77 near those immense piles of ice ; but here were flowers tluit bloomed luider the snow, and when they were thawed out they were as bright and lovely as any that blossom in the warmest sunshine. When I looked at them, I said : " I will never be discourajred again, no matter what is in the way. If the Lord (tan make these flowers so lovely, right down in tlie very heart of winter. He can make my life beautiful, though every v.iing seems to lock it away from the sunshine, as surely as the frost-chains have done those Christmas roses." I once knew a little girl whose parents were not Christians, They were very much opposed to Christianity, and never failed to speak ill of the Lord's people and his minis- ters every chance that offered. When this child was five years old her sister, a young lady, gave her heart to God. She came home and told the little girl, and prayed with her, and she was converted. The sister died when the child was eight. After that r-^^.ia-,,T.f.^-.;^.,»»Aj.-^.;-,~.w.-,j»v.(».,-.a-;ira-y,,; ,; M mmm |pp5a«M»i^^.aa«a;...«»«.,^ I'll 1 78 DUNCIt OF fLOWEliS FOR VIRLS. she had no one to help her, and yet the wicked things they would say about God and His Church, never made any difference to her; she went rlglit ou trying to serve the Lord the best she knew; When she had grown to be a young lady, the rest of the family Avere all brought to Christ. When she became a Christian worker, she iiad courage to believe that anybody could serve the Lord under the most difficult circumstances, for she had had to come up through so much. It would be hard to say how dreadfully discouraged she had sometimes been, with no one to help her when she tried to do right and be a Christian. When she saw the mothers and fathers of other little girls helping them, she'used to say, in the bitterness of her heart, " No one cares for my soul." After awhile she understood that Jesns is most anxious to help those who are most completely snowed under and fro- zen by cold surroundings. It is quite like the little street boy in the hospital who said to the other in his queer, 1 % I E (I ii a P n J IJ 01 ni w til sl< al (( ' de IIIILS. cnttmrMAi^ roses. 79 the wicked I and His ce to her; the Lord I grown to imily were ! became a to believe L under the le had had woukl be iraged she ,0 help her I Christian. fathers of ised to say, D one cares understood I those who 3r and fro- boy in the his queer, slangy talk : " Them that needs Him most is just tlio o los He goes for."' He liad heard a little friend of his in another cot crying and groaning, and he rested himself upon his el- bow and leaned towards him. "Jim- mie," he said, "does it hurt dreadful bad?" " Yes, Ned, and it 'pears like I couldn't stand it much longer." " Well, Jimmie, ask Jesus, and he'll come and make it all right some way." " Oh no, Ned, I don't know how— a poor, little chap like me ; I couldn't talk to no such fine, great gontle:u:i:i as He is." "Oh, Jimmie, ye don't know nothing 'tall about Him. Them that needs Him most is just the ones He goes for." This poor child's gram- mar was not correct, but the thing he said was beautifully true. A little girl, who had given her h( ;nt to tlie Lord Jesus Christ, was mocked at -jy a skeptic. He had heard her say something about the Saviour, and he said with a sneer: "What do you know about Jes- ^ He was dead and buried long ago, and that was the ar A BUNCH OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. end of him." " Oh no, it wasn't." ' Yes, it was. What do you "know about Him ? " "I didn't use to know anything about Him, but I do now, 'cause He's come to live in our al- ley." "When childr ■^n live in homes where they hnve no family prayer, or blessing at the ta- ble, or any of those sweet things that help so much, the Lord Jesus takes special care of them. You know He said the shepherd would leave the ninety and nine that went not astray, to go and look for the one that was lost. The poor, little lamb that is outside in the dark and cold, must not be afraid, becaixse Jesus is watching every minute to give just the help that is needed. The prophet said of Him, he would " gather the lambs in His arms and carry them in His bosom." "When we get into the other world we will find that we did not have one trial too many ; every one was meant to make us stronger. I don't know, but I think that when we see Him in 1 1 c i a a a Ci si 11 ol tl b( iRia. ' Yes, it ira?" "I Him, but in our al- '^here they at the ta- lat help so ial care of lerd would went not ! that was side in the d, becaiise give just jhet said of in His arms When we md that we ; every one r. I don't see Him in CIIIU.'^TMAS ROSES. 81 the world of glory, wa will thank Him more for the troubles than for anytliing else. I heard u lady tell about a friend of hers who was ill and unable to go out. Some one brought lier a chrysalis, which, you know, is tlie form the butterfly is in when its wings are folded at its side, and it is tucked away to lie still, till the sunshine comes, so that it will be safe for it to come out. Tlie invalid watched lier chrysalis with a great deal of care, and anticipated miicli pleasure in see- ing the butterfly, whicli was to be very large and beautiful. By and by it began to sth-, and then its h3ad came out, and then a part of its body, and then more and more of it, till at last it seemed almost entirely free from its case, except that tliere was a thread drawn over its mouth that held it back. It was struggling to get that broken, and she thought slie would help it ; so she took a pair of fine scissors and snijiped tlie thread. Then the butterfly came out, but its wings trailed behind it. They hadn't strength to spread .sra^sM W^r 'St jMK ii .'!f f!Bft^, ^n^tei?9^ i9 &f]^.d »i SfesusaiteaMSi-tuAWA'Ee) ,«.-muK*(£^ jhmi Uriif ii — . IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 150 "^" I.I 140 2.5 2.2 12.0 |I25 |j^ Illi4 - < 6" — » Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716)872-4503 fut^aaimiitisi.. •«i»*w*a*efiirt5*. CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques LILIES. 89 habit of making excuses for ourselves we do not know when we are selfish. We must ask the Lord to search us and try us, and see if there is any wicked way iu us. He will show us, and then we must go to Him to make our hearts white and pure like the lilies. I was at a camp-meeting a few years ago, when, one morning, a gentleman came to me, leading his little daughter by the hand. He was pastor of a Scotch Presbyterian church a half-mile or so away, and I had met him in the meetings. He said : " I have brought my little girl to you that you may help her in her Christian life. Her mother was too ill to come to the meeting to-day ; but Mary was so anxious to come, I thought I would ven- ture to bring her to you." I replied, " Cer- tainly ; I will do my best to help the child." She was a bright little girl of about seven yetjs, the oldest of three, and probably a lit- tle more thoughtful than most children. I supposed that she wanted to give her heart to the Saviour; so, when we were by ourselves, ;/ 90 A BUNCH OF FLOWERS FOR OIRLS. I said, "You want to give your lieart to Je- sus, don't you ? " " Oh, no, ma'am I " she re- plied; "I was converted three years ago, and my mamma wants me to help the little ones to give their hearts to Him. I love to do things for Him ; but sometimes I get a little spunky, if things don't go right, and that up- sets it all, you know. If I am to do what manmia thinks I ought, to help the others, I must never do anything that Jesus doesn't want me to. Papa is very sure that Jesus can so save me that I won't be doing these naughty things." I looked at her with surprise. Most chil- dren are satisfied to know that their sins are forgiven, and they don't think it any great matter to get out of temper, and be cross, and a little tricky now and then ; but here was a child who looked as if she could enjoy a game of blind-man's-buff, or an hour or two of play- ing with dolls, or a pretty story, as well as any chil ". ' g, and yet she was not satisfied " to love t. o a part of the time,'' as she said, OR GIRLS. ir heart to Je- la'am 1 " she re- iree years ago, help the little 1. I love to do es I get a little t, and that up- in to do what p the others, I Jesus doesn't ure that Jesus be doing these 96. Most chil- t their sins are k it any great id be cross, and but here was a Id enjoy a game : or two of play- ory, as well as vas not satisfied ae/' as she said, ^r LILIES. 91 but she wanted to lov^e Him with her whole lieart, and that, in order that she might help her little brother and sister. After dinner, I took her with me to a young people's and children's meeting that I was to hold. She sat back, and listened to every word I said. When I asked all to come for- ward who would seek to have their sins for- given, some others came, but she seemed to know that that did not mean her. When I asked those who wanted to liave the Saviour take all sin out of tlieir liearts to come to the altar, she came and knelt down, and began to vt^hisper a prayer for herself. When we arose from our knees, and a chance was given for any to speak who had trusted Jesus for what they sought, she was one of the first to say He had made her heart clean. If that little girl is living, she is now a young lady. I have never seen her since that day. I don't know whether or not she be- came the wonderful Christian I thought she would be. But I believe that little children ) •> 92 A DVNCII OF FLOWKRS FOR 01RL8. may give their whole hearts to Jesus, and have Ilim with them all the time, — in their play, in their studies, in their temptations, in the little troubles that are as hard for them to bear as greater ones are for grown people. And I am praying that everywhere the chil- dren may find out that it is a great deal easier to love Jesus and do just what He wants them to, if they let Ilim wash their hearts " whiter than snow " in His own blood. That little girl asked her Heavenly Father for Jesus' sake to make her heart whiter than snow. You see it must all be for the sake oi Him who died on the cross that we might be saved from our sins, small as well as great ones ; those that nobody can see, as well as those that make us disagreeable. A little girl was about to say her prayers one night, and she said: "Mamma, if you please, I will not say ' for Jesus' sake ' any more." "Why, Mary! What- makes you say that? " " Why, mamma, I can be good my own self if I have a mind to be. I don't on OIRLS. to Jesus, and ;ime, — in their temptations, in hard for them grown people. ?^here the chil- reat deal easier He wants them hearts " whiter eavenly Father art whiter than for the sake oi at we might be well as great see, as well as [e. Ely her prayers ►lararaa, if you sus' sake ' any lat- makes you I can be good to be. I don't ^? LILIES. 93 need to have Jesus hel}) me be good." Her motlier sinv that lior inind was made up, and that she would have to find out for herself what a dreadful mistake she was making. So she said : " Well, Mary, you need never say ' for Jesus' sake ' again, unless you choose to ; and now, if you are going to do right by yourself, you must try very hard to be just as good as you know how to be." "Yes, ma'am, I will." "And mamma will help you," continued the mother. " She will give you fifty gold dollars, to be all your own, to spend just exactly as you please, if you will be good a whole month without Jesus." " Oh, mamma, that money will be easy to earn; you are -ery kind. I'll do it. I'll begin to- morrow morning ; shall I mamma ? " " Yes, dear, begin when you get up to-morrow morning." Mary's heart seemed to fail her a little, the next morning, for the first thing she did was to put her head in at her moth- er's door and say : " Mamma, if you please, will you tell them all not to be very provok- 94 A liUNCn OF FLOWERS FOR OIRLH. ing to-day?" " Yes, dear, we will all help you." So after breakfast the mother called iu the coachman and the gardener, the second girl, and all the rest of them, and told them that Mary was going to be good without Je- sus, and they must all helj) her as much as they possibly could. They promised to do 80, and Mary set about what slie thought was going to be very easy. At night she came to her mother and said : " Mamma, if you don't mind, T would like to begin over to-morrow morning, for I have been naughtier than usu- al to-day, though I did try very hard to be good my own self." "Very well, Mary, you may begin over again to-morrow morning." The next night Mary was quite sad when she came to her mother and said : " Mamma, I would like very much if you would let me begin over again to-morrow morning, for I have been worse to-day than I was yesterday." " Well, Mary, begin again to-morrow morn- ing." The next night Mary came to her mother with the tears slipping down over her « OIRLH. will all help nofher called er, the second nd told thera 1 witliout Je- r as much as )mised to do B thought was it she came to , if you don't er to-morrow tier than usu- r hard to be 11, Mary, you w morning." te sad when : " Mamma, I vould let me orning, for I IS yesterday." lorrow morn- came to her [own over her LILIKS. OB face. Slio siiid : " Mamma, will you [draso ask Josus to forgivo mo for trying to be good without Him? There can't anybody; can there, mamma?" Some people trust Jesus to forgive their sins, but they think they have to do the rest themselves. They must subdue their bad dispositions; they must keep from being fret- ful, and saying xinkind things Ijeliind people's backs. But after awhile they come to find out, as little Mary did, " There can't anybody be good without Josus ; can they ? " fl CHAPTER XL ROSES. " I THOUGHT you would have to give us some roses," exclaims laughing Miss Cheerible ; " of course we couldn't get along without roses ; they are the prettiest of all flowers." To be sure; the rose is the queen, and I want my little girls to be queenly. No, I don't mean to have them throw back their heads, and step loftily, as queens are supposed to do. I never saw Queen Victoria. Perhaps no woman in the world has more power than she. She is Queen of the British Empire, and also Empress of India. I am told she is so simple 99 I^^l^^l^^^ I give U8 some \eerible ; " of ithout roses; ers." To be d I want my [ don't mean ads, and step o do. Perhaps no iwer than she. )ire, and also B is so simple ItOSKS. 97 and kiiiil-lioarted tliat she loves to havo her lap full of grandchildren as well as any wo- man that lives. The little children of I.er children, the Prince of Wales, the Empress of Germany, and the rest of them, come run- ning in to climb into her arms and kiss her dear face, just as you love to pet your grand- mother. Some poor woman wlio would not dare ask to bo admitted to the presence of Queen Victoria, puts on far loftier air.s, and holds her head higher, than she does. Another of my little women looks up with a perplexed twist on her face. " Please tell us just what you mean," she says ; " we are to be so meek and good as to give up every- thing to everybody without making a fuss, and yet you want us to be queenly, as you call it. I can't see how they go together." How can I make you understand wiiat I mean by being queenly? You can see the difference between being modest, straightfor- ward, with a look of nothing-to-be-ashamed- of in the face, and that boldness tliat rushes it! j i -'wmmmrnmsmm 98 A liUNClI OF FLOWKliS FOR OlIlLfi. in, , nd puts in its word on all occasions, projn or anil improper. I know a little girl who always Imngs buck and whines out " I can't," if you ask lier to do anything that will make folks look at her for a moment. She blushes and wriggles about, and digs her teeth into her thumb-nail, and looks silly when she is spoken to by old- er people, especially if they are strangers. I am afraid her mother is to blame for the foolish way in which the child acts. I know that the lady has hung back in just about that style, when she has been asked to go through a congregation to get people to become mem- bers of a missionary society, or to speak to them about giving their hearts to the Saviour. She would claim that she was quite too mod- est to do such bold things, though I am told that she can dance all night, with all sorts of men, with her dress low in the neck and no sleeves, which to me seems neither a proper nor healthful kind of clothing. I am afraid the poor woman does not know quite what is nous, proi>- Imngrt buck ftsk lier to look tit her 1 wriggles thumb-nail, 1 to by old- pangors. line for the ;8. I know t about that go through )come meni- to speak to ;he Saviour, te too mod- h I am told , all sorts of eck and no ler a proper I am afraid uite what is ■^1, ROSKS. 00 right in such thiiigH, iiiul she hiis taught Ium- little girl to Hinipor and look shy, bocauHO sho thiuks it will make her seem modest. Another child of my acquaintance will go right up to people, and call them by name, even if they are old enough to he her mother or father. Slio will call out, " 1 low d'ye do ? " and somotimert even " Ilalloo ! " which is a very impolite way of speaking to any person. When older people are talking, slio will put in a word, as if sho were the oldest of them all. If a general question is asked, you will hear her voice piping out the answer, as if she were the most important person in the room. She is li good-hearted child, and it is a pity for her to be so bold in her manners. People will not stop to get acquainted with us before they make up their minds whether or not they are going to like us. If our ways do not please them, they hardly care to know anything more about u.^. That is one reason why a little girl should always be neat and simple in her dress. If i mm II ■ I' n^ 'mmmmm! 100 A BUNCH OF FLOWERS FOR OIRLS. she i8 careless and shabby, strangers make up tlieir minds that she has not a good mother ; ov else that her spirit is coarse and common, like a we ad instead of a delicate flower, and they don't care to get acquainted with her. If she wears "loud" and striking things, to make people look at her the second time, as she passes them on the street, if she tries to dress like a young lady, wearing jewelry and all sorts of finery, they are quite likely to be displeased with her taste. The same is true of her language, which is the dress of her thought. If it is rough or coarse, priggish or stilted, as though she were putting on fine lady airs, sensible people will be quite apt to take a dislike to her, because thev will think her thoughts are not worth trying to get at. And they will not be far out of the \v ay, either. If a child is foolish- ly shy, or disHgreeably bold, the fault is usu- ally in her mind ; either she thinks meanly of herself, or she thinks herself much more im- portant than she really is. She lacks proper self-respect, or she is vain and forward. I OIRLS. ;rs make up id mother; d common, flower, and I with her. J things, to •nd time, aa she tries to jewelry and likely to be ▼e, which is is rough or nrh she were people will ber, because ! not worth not be far d is foolish- fault is usu- cs meanly of 3h more im- lacks proper rward. ROSES. 101 If a child is too bashful, she is quite apt to be imposed upon by bad people. You know if you shy away from an ugly dog, he is twice as apt to bite you, as he would be if you went straight along as if you had a right to your part of the sidewalk. Satan is more ready to try to get us to do something mean, if we do not think enough of ourselves to say bravely: "No, I belong to Christ, and it would be a shame for one of His children to do such a thing." On the other hand, if you are too bold, and go stumbling along, you step into pitfalls that you might have seen, if you had been looking. You make serious mis- takes that you might have avoided, if you had been a little more careful. The way to avoid both fpults is to think how noble, and • yet how simple, a thing it is to be a child of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to have Ilim live in your heart. He made you, and if He had wanted you to be very wise, or grand, He could easily- have made you that way. For His sake, because He loves you and notices l!fi I 102 A BUNCH OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. every thought you think, and every word you say, be just your own plum, simple self, and do not try to be like other people who are greatly admired. If He lives in your soul, there is no need to be ashamed of anything, as long as you please Him. He is a great King and you are a princess. When one of Queen Victoria's children was going about with her nurse, she did not need to have everybody say : " Stand aside ; here comes the princess." They would be sure to give her attention enough, because her mother was the queen. She would be very apt to say : " Please let me run along, and see things like other children. I know I am a princess, and people seem to think I am an important person because my mother is a queen and lives in a palace, but I don't want to be thinking about that all the time." If a child's heart is full of the dear Lord's love, she will not care for the little, outside things that others may seem to think of so '7F GIRLS. ;very word simple self, people who is no need •ug as you iiid you are ,'s children ihe did not :and aside ; would be gli, because >uld be very run along, I know I think I am mother is a don't want ;ime." lear Lord's ;tle, outside think of so ROSES. 103 much. She will be so glad of His favor, that she will not care to have the best of other things,— the most attention and compliments. When one hears His word of approval in the soul, it is like having heard the best mu- sic. Other things are poor and cheap after that. When one has His smile of love, it does not matter very much what people think. She feels so sure that she is a child of the King, she can be as grandly happy in a cabin as in a palace. r CHAPTER XII. THE VINE. One of the sweetest things that our Lord taught His disciples was given with the vine for an object lesson. In those days the vines of Palestine were rich and beautiful, bearing abundantly most delicious fruit. Jesus had eaten the passover, and reproved their foolish quarrel about which should sit nearest Him at the table, by washing their feet. Then He had instituted the Lord's supper, and tliey had risen to go out. The eleven stood around Him while He preached His last sermon to them, that one in the fourteenth chapter of " 104 f" if-. b our Lord th the vine •s the vines 'ul, bearing Jesus had heir foolish rest Him at Then He , and tliey ood around sermon to chapter of" THE VINE. 105 John, beginning so beautifully : " Let not 3'our lieart be troubled ; ye believe in God, be- lieve also in me." He said : " I am the vine and ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing." The words of Jesus never grow old, or out of date. They have as much meaning for us as they liad for the people to whon\ He first said them. This lesson may be as helpful to us as it was to the apostles. We may be one with Him. He may be the life of our lives, and work by us to do others good. We cannot live the spiritual life without Him. If we go away from Him for one hour, we will die as certainly as the branch would die if broken from the vine. He needs us, also. The vine doesn't bear its fruit on the stalk, but on the branches. So, as if He wanted us to know how helpful we might be to Him, He said : " Herein is My Father glorified that ye bear much fruit." To bear much fruit the vine has to be prun- \ r; r 106 A DUNCn OF FLOWERS FOR OIRLS. ed. The ends of the branches must be pinch- ed off, so that the strength may go to make the fruit grow. We do not enjoy having the nice things taken from us, but it is for the best, and we must not draw back from the pruning knife. We must take the troubles and trials that come to us as from the father's hand, and thank Him that He thinks it worth while to so prune and cut us that we may bear much fruit. The vine must be watered. He has prom- ised to come down like dew on the mown grass, and like showers that water the earth. Every time we pray by ourselves till we are sure He hears us, we have a sense of being refreshed, just as the plant that is wilted by the hot sun is brought to strength and beau- ty when the rain falls on it or it is dampened by the dew. The vine must have sunshine. It cannot ripen its grapes in the shade. The old pro- phet called Christ the " Sun of Righteousness." We must let Jesus shine into our hearts by R OIRLS. THE VINE. 107 iiust be pinch- '■ go to make oy having the t it is for the ack from the 1 the troubles mi the father's liiuks it worth ,t we may bear He has prom- 011 the mown iter the earth, ^es till we are ense of being it is wilted, by gth and beau- it is dampened le. It cannot The old pro- :ighteou8ness." our hearts by trusting for His presence. The best Chris- tians always know the truth of those words of Christ: " Low I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Elisha spoke of the Lord, before Whom he stood. His strength came from always knowing that the Lord was with him. Children may bear much fruit in their lives. I read the other day of a poor man who worked at making pottery. He had a little child at home who was a cripple, and every day when he went from his work, he would pick up a piece of bright paper that he would cut into some pretty shape, or a bunch of flowers, or a curious stone — some little thing to please the invalid. He never said much iibout her, but the men all came to know that there was such a cliild, and that her father did these things to amuse her during the long hours that she had to lie on her cot. So without words they went to work, one after another, to make in-etty little things that they would put in his hands at night to take home 1 i V ^ 108 A liUNCIl OF FLOWERS FOR GIRLS. to the little cripple. One morning it was wliis- pered about among the men that ho would not bo baclc that day, but that tlie little funeral procession would pass along the street at the end of the lane on whicli stood their workshop. The men all went to their employer and got a half-day off, losing tlieir half-day's wages, that they might go and stand with their head.s uncovered at the end of the lane wliile tl»o man went by on his way to tlie cemetery with the little coffin that held his crippled child. His quiet, silent, constant care of her had made her seem to belong to all his fellow workmen. If our hearts are steadily loyal to Christ wo may draw other people toward Him, whether or not we use words. The little girls who belong to Jesus ought to be the brightest, gladest, sweetest, kindest and best scholars in their school. I know one who gets on so nicely with her lessons that her mother is quite surprised by the way she passes her examinations. She asked her )R QIRLS. TllK I7.VA;. 100 ng it was wliis- t ho woukl not I little funeral le street at tlic heir workshop, iloyer and got [f-day's wages, ith their head.s lane while the cemetery with jrippled child, re of her had all his fellow al to Christ we Him, whether :o Jesus ought eetest, kindest lool. I know th her lessons sed by the way She asked her how she remembered so miiiih of wluvt was" in her books. " Wliy, inumnui," slic said. " I kept praying every question. I did thfi best I could ; and trusted the Lord to lielpme, and lie did." Children can help by words of which they themselves hardly know the meaning. I read tlie other day of a man who had formed the dreadful habit of swearing. After he was married, lie tried very hard to give it up. Rut once in a while a bad word would slip out in spite of him. One day he was shaving, and cut himself with the razor, and before he knew it, in his anger ho had uttered tlie name of our Father in heaven. His little daughter was Inlaying on the fl(K)r, and she came up to him, looked in his face and said, " Where is He, papa?' "Where is who, dear?" " Where is Dod ? Didn't you speak to Dod dus' now. Where is He ? I didn't see Him." The word was like an arrow in the man's heart. He dropped into a chair, and covering his face with his hands, asked God to forgive 110 A Jlimvil OF FLOWERS FOR (JlRLS. him for taking His name in vain, and promised to give Ilim liis heart, so tliat He could make it clean from that sin. And the Lord an- swered his prayer. The little girls who believe in Christ, must try in every way to make people love and trust Him. A woman asked a housemaid once : " How do you know you are converted ? " " Oh, I know it by a great many things," she replied ; *' one is, I always sweep under the mats now." If you go to school with your hair all tousled, with face and hands untidy, a sleeve half ripped out of your dress, the people will think : " What a pity that little girl hasn't a better mother, to fix her up and make her look neat . and nice." If you pass a poor examination, and do not seem to half know the studies that you have gone over, people will think, "That child has a poor teacher." If you want to be a credit to your mother and teach- ers, you must let people see what a neat, tidy child and good scholar you can be. If you -n (iinL8. ukI promised 3 could raako he Lord an- Christ, must pie love and •nee : " How I ? " " Oh, I " she replied ; le mats now." ir all tousled, V sleeve half ie will think : asn't a better her look neat examination, ir the studies e will think, ler." If you ler and teach- it a neat, tidy , be. If you THK VINK, 111 want to make tliom love and truHt llin Sav- iour, you must .show liy your life how l)lcss(!(l- ly the Lord can keep you from being cross and selfish and mean. Because you belong to Him you must let Him make you always bright and sunshiny, that you may help everybody bo happy and glad. There is a dial in Naples to show the time of day when the sun shines upon it. It has these words upon its face : " I record only tlie hours that are serene." Remember the bright things ; give God tlianks fur them al- ways. Trust Him to keep you in the grace that will make people want to be like Him. That will be glorifying Him by bringing forth much fruit. Tlie heathen think tlwvt all girls are good for is to sell for money, like colts and cattle. Christians are finding out that there are many beautiful, brave things that women can do to get people to Christ. You must prepare your- self for a part in the blessed work women are ■ 112 A II u yen Of Fi.owKiis for oirls. doing and aro to do. Study, mid, tiiink, iiiid pray, and trust Josus to make you strong, true, and pure, so that when you aro grown up, if you hoar the Lord a.sking : " Who will do this good work to get the peojjle to love and trust Mo?" you can answer gladly: " Here am I ; send ine." OK OIRLS. uiul, titink,iiiKl :e yoii strong, 'ou uro grown g: "Who will peoi)le to love nawcr gladly: «-^ y