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diff --git a/1978.txt b/1978.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d20568f --- /dev/null +++ b/1978.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1345 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Buttercup Gold and Other Stories, by Ellen Robena Field + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Buttercup Gold and Other Stories + +Author: Ellen Robena Field + +Posting Date: September 21, 2008 [EBook #1978] +Release Date: November, 1999 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BUTTERCUP GOLD AND OTHER STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Dianne Bean + + + + + +BUTTERCUP GOLD AND OTHER STORIES + +By Ellen Robena Field + + + + + Copyrighted, 1894, by the Bangor (Maine) Kindergarten Association + + This book is lovingly dedicated to the dear kindergarten + children, and particularly to my little friend, Alice Caro Wing. + + + + "Children are God's apostles, day by day sent forth preach of + love and hope and peace."--Lowell. + + + + "Come to me, O, ye children! + And whisper in my ear + What the birds and winds are singing + In your sunny atmosphere. + + Ye are better than all the ballads + That were ever sung or said; + For ye are living poems + And all the rest are dead."--Longfellow. + + + + "And Nature, the old nurse, took + The child upon her knee, + Saying: 'Here is a story-book + Thy Father has written for thee."--Longfellow. + + + + +The Little New Year + +One cold morning Maurice awoke from his dreams and sat up in bed and +listened. He thought he heard a knock at his window; but though the moon +was shining brightly, Jack Frost had been so busily at work that Maurice +could not see through the thickly painted panes. So he crept sleepily +out of bed, and opened the window, and whispered: "Who is there?" + +"I am," replied a tinkling voice. "I am the little New Year, ho! ho! And +I've promised to bring a blessing to everyone. But I am such a little +fellow I need somebody to help me distribute them. Won't you please come +out and help?" + +"Oh, it's so cold!" said Maurice; "I'd rather go back to my warm bed;" +"and he shivered as Jack Frost, who was passing, tickled him under the +chin with one of the frosty paint brushes. + +"Never mind the cold," urged the New Year; "please help me." + +So Maurice hurried into his clothes, and was soon out in the yard. There +he found a rosy-cheeked boy a little smaller than himself, pulling a +large cart which seemed to be loaded with good things. On one side of +this cart was painted the word "Love," and on the other "Kindness." As +soon as the New Year saw Maurice he said, "Now please take hold and help +me pull;" and down the driveway and up the hill they travelled until +they came to an old shanty. + +"Here is where I make my first call," said the New Year. Maurice looked +wonderingly at him. "Why, nobody lives here but an old colored man who +works for us; and he hasn't any children!" "He needs my help," said +the New Year; "for grown people like to be thought of just as much as +children do. You shovel out a path to his door, while I unload some of +my blessings; and the little hands went busily at work, piling up warm +clothing, wood, and a new year's dinner, the New Year singing as he +worked:-- + + "Oh, I am the little New Year; ho! ho! + Here I come tripping it over the snow, + Shaking my bells with a merry din; + So open your door and let me in." + +Old Joe, hearing some noise outside, came to the door, and when he saw +all the nice gifts the tears ran down his cheeks for gladness; and as he +carried them into the house, he whispered: "The dear Lord has been here +to-night." + +"Where am we going now?" asked Maurice, as they ran down the hill. "To +take some flowers to a poor sick girl," answered the New Year. + +Soon they came to a small white house, where the New Year stopped. "Why, +Bessie, our sewing girl lives, here," said Maurice. "I didn't know she +was sick." "See," said the New Year, "this window is open a little; let +us throw this bunch of pinks into the room. They will please her when +she wakes, and will make her happy for several days." + +Then they hurried to other places, leaving some blessing behind them. + +"What a wonderful cart you have," said Maurice; "though you have taken +so much out, it never seems to get empty." "You are right, Maurice, +there is never any end to love and kindness. As long as I find people to +love and be kind to, my cart is full of blessings for them; and it will +never grow empty until I can no longer find people to help. If you will +go with me every day and help me scatter my blessings, you will see how +happy you will be all the long year." + +"A happy New Year!" called some one; and Maurice found himself in bed, +and his sister standing in the doorway smiling at him. "Have you had a +pleasant dream, dear?" she asked. + +"Why, where is the little New Year?" said Maurice; "he was just here +with me." + +"Come into Mamma's room and see what he has brought you," answered his +sister. There in a snowy white cradle he found a tiny baby brother, the +gift of the New Year. How happy Maurice was then! But he did not forget +his dream. Old Joe and Bessie had their gifts, too, and Maurice tried so +hard to be helpful that he made all his friends glad because the happy +New Year had come. + + + + +Mother Nature's House Cleaning + +One morning Mother Nature stood at the door of her house looking out +over the world. King Winter's reign was over and he had gone back to +his home at the North Pole; and Spring was coming over the hill with her +three little helpers to make Mother Nature a visit. + +Let us see who these helpers were. First there was roguish March with +his rosy cheeks, and his curly hair flying in the winds that blew +all about him. Next came Baby April with her apron full of violets, +daffodillies, and green grasses. Part of the time she smiled sweetly, +and part of it she frowned till the big tear drops chased each other +down her cheeks. Last came May, playing tag with the sunbeams, wandering +knee-deep in flowers, and calling to the birds that sang around her: + +Mother Nature watched them coming and murmured, "Such a dirty world as +King Winter has left behind him! It must be cleaned up before the little +girls, April and May, come, but March I am sure will want to help me do +it." + +She beckoned to the frolicsome boy who came racing down the hill to +see what she wanted. "I must have some rain to wash away all this dirty +snow," she said; so March whistled to the East Wind, who blew together +the rain-clouds, and soon the tiny rain drops were busy at work washing +the floors of the world, and in a short time the snow was all gone. +Then Mother Nature wanted the sky ceilings cleaned, so this time March +whistled to the West Wind who began to sweep away the cloud cobwebs from +the sky till the cheery old sun smiled again, and shone Mother Nature a +bright "good morning." + +"Now March," said she, "there is one more thing you can do to help. You +must start the work for Baby April." Then March, with the South Wind +to help him, awoke the seeds, whispered to the trees to begin to bud, +started the brooks singing, and called the robins back from the South. + +When his visit was over Mother Nature thanked him for helping her so +well on all of the thirty-one days he had spent with her, and told him +she would send for him again when her next cleaning day came around. + + + + +How the Raindrops and Sunbeams Helped + +One morning Mother Nature looked about her, and said: "My children have +had such a nice long rest and it will do them good, for they have a busy +summer before them. It is time to go to work now, and as some of the +babies just won't wake up till they have to, I must send for my helpers +at once." The long days carried her messages, which in our language +would have read something like this:-- + +My Dear Helpers, Sunbeams, and Raindrops:-- + +You are needed down here on earth. It is time to dress my plant +children, and give them work to do. The birds must be called back from +the South, and the cocooons must be opened so that my butterflies can +come out. I shall have to make good soil and get my clover beds ready +for the honey makers. Come at once, as some have been sleeping too long +already. Whisper to the trees as you pass that it is time they were +budding, Be gentle with all, for they are my children, and I love them. + +Good-bye, from your Mother Nature + +This she directed to the Sunbeams at Blue Sky Park, and the Raindrops at +Cloud Land. When the message reached these little helpers, they started +off at once to obey the call, and the sun gave such a merry laugh, that +Grandma came to the door of the farm house and remarked: "How warm it +is today, quite like spring; I believe I will set out my geraniums." But +just then a silvery voice said: "Wait a little while longer till we make +the ground soft," and pop came a raindrop upon the dear old lady's +nose, and she hurried into the house, saying "What queer weather we are +having! first sun and then rain." Then the Raindrops and Sunbeams smiled +at each other, and danced more merrily, for they knew what good work +they were doing to the great brown house where the flowers dwell. + +The tap, tap, of the Raindrops wake them up, and when they raised their +sleepy heads and felt the warm kisses of the Sunbeams, they were glad +and began to grow. Soft breezes called to the leaves to come out, and +soon the brown coats which the trees had worn all winter were replaced +by new green dresses. Pussy willow and snowdrop were the first to +herald the spring, and crocus and violet soon followed. Out in the woods +blossomed tiny pink and white May flowers. Little seeds burst off their +jackets and sent up green plumes. Then Mother Nature called her helpers +again and told them to search for the lilies, and dress them in white +robes for Easter. And so each beautiful flower came again--and the birds +sang once more, and the children were glad that spring had come again. +The little helpers had done their work well, and were happy--and every +one thanked God for the spring. + + + + +Rock-A-By Baby + +"Rock-a-by baby in the tree top, When the wind blows the cradle will +rock." + +Helena was playing with her dolls under the Maple tree in the garden. It +was the first warm day of spring, and the little girl was glad to be +out of doors again, and to rock her babies to sleep on one of the low +branches. + +But she was not the only one singing a lullaby that bright sunny +morning, for Mother Nature was singing one, too, and a soft breeze was +gently tucking some little brown cradles to and fro in the tree tops. +Some were very, very small, and others were larger, but each held a +wee leaf baby, fast asleep. The next time Helena came out to play, the +babies in the treetop were waking up, and she could see them in their +dainty green nightdresses, peeping out at the world. During the next +week they grew a great deal, and one of them crept out of their cradles +which fell down to the ground, leaving the babies still up in the tree +top. + +By the time Spring went away, the babies had grown large and strong, and +spread beautiful green parasols to give shade to their friends through +the hot, dusty days of summer. When Autumn came, Mother Nature gave +them a holiday, and how pretty they looked in their gay gowns as they +frolicked with the wind! + +Then they said good-by to the Maple tree, and went dancing and whirling +over the fields to meet King Winter. When Helena looked into their old +homes on the tree, she found some more tiny brown cradles, and knew that +in them were new leaf babies that sleep safely til Spring comes again to +visit Earthdom, and wakes each "baby in the tree top." + + + + +A Child of Spring + + I know a little maiden, + She is very fair and sweet, + As she trips among the grasses + That kiss her dainty feet; + Her arms are full of flowers, + The snow-drops, pure and white, + Timid blue-eyed violets, + And daffodillies bright. + + She loves dear Mother Nature, + And wanders by her side; + She beckons to the birdlings + That flock from far and wide. + She wakes the baby brooklets, + Soft breezes hear her call; + She tells the little children + The sweetest tales of all. + + Her brow is sometimes clouded, + And she sighs with gentle grace, + Till the sunbeams, daring lovers, + Kiss the teardrops from her face. + Well we know this dainty maiden, + For April is her name; + And we welcome her with gladness, + As the springtime comes again. + + + + +Mr. Frog's Story + +Down in the garden is a pretty brook, and something funny happened one +day as I was sitting watching the tadpoles and minnows playing tag and +hide-and-go-seek. All at once something gave a jump out of the water and +with a loud "kerchunk," landed on a stone near by. It was Mr. Frog, and +as "kerchunk" in frog language means "how do you do?" I replied politely +and inquired for his health. + +He assured me that he was well and happy, and went on talking. "Did you +know that I was once a tadpole just like those little creatures in the +brook? + +"I have heard people say that you were," I answered. "You would not +believe it to look at me now, would you?" + +"No," I said, for certainly he did not look at all like the queer little +animals I was watching. + +"Yes," he continued, "once I was a tiny black egg in a globe of clear +white jelly, and floated around along the bank of this same brook. Soon +I grew into a wee tadpole, and freed myself from the globe of jelly, +and found I could swim about. I had a long flat tail which I used as +a paddle to help me swim. I had no feet nor legs then, but I grew very +fast, and soon two legs came out near my tail, and by and by two front +ones came, and I did not need my tail any more, so it disappeared. Then +I discovered that I had a long, slender tongue to catch insects with. My +skin, too, had changed, and is now covered with beautiful spots, and if +you look at my eyes you will see how bright they are. + +"I live beside this brook with my family, and my cousins, the toads; +and in the spring and summer evenings we sing to our little tadpole +children, and tell them of the time when they, too, will grow up and be +toads and frogs." + +Here Mr. Frog paused, and before I could thank him for his interesting +story, he gave a loud "kadunk," which means "good-by," and with a splash +he was off for a swim in the brook. + + + + +The Robin + +One day, while walking home from the Kindergarten, I met some travellers +coming from the South. They did not come on the car or the boat, but +they travelled very quickly. As they passed me I fancied I heard them +say, "How do you do? We are glad to see you again. Are there plenty of +houses to rent this Spring? You will have a great many more visitors by +and by, for our friends are coming North as soon as the weather gets a +little warmer." + +"Yes," I replied, "some of the houses you occupied last spring are +waiting for you, and you will find pleasant places on which to build +new ones in Crab Apple Lane, Woodbine Walk, Maple Park, and Apple Tree +Avenue." + +"Thank you," they called, and hurried on, leaving me to wonder what +sort of a journey they had. All day long I saw them flying to and fro, +carrying loads of straw and mud. + +Just at twilight there came a rap at my window, and there stood Mr. +Robin Redbreast, looking in as saucily as you please. "I thought you'd +be there," he chirped; "and if you will look out a minute, I'll show you +my house." + +Sure enough, there was a tiny home on Apple tree Avenue, just at the +corner of Branch Alley. There was a cellar of mud, and the rest of the +cottage was neatly woven of straw. "How do you like it?" he chirped. + +Of course I admired it, and asked him if he was all ready to go to +housekeeping. "All but the beds," he replied, "but if you will give me +some hair and a few feathers, I will soon have a soft place for our eggs +to rest on." + +I threw some out, and in a short time the nest was lined. Then Robin +flew off, returning the next day with his mate, who showed her delight +at the new home by cozily settling down in it. + +Every morning the birds gave a concert above my window, and one day I +heard some new notes, and, peeping out, saw that five little robins had +come to brighten the cozy nest. Such a busy time as the papa and mamma +Redbreasts had now! Such a digging for worms to drop into the big mouths +which seemed to be always asking for food! In a few weeks the baby birds +learned to fly, and left the nest to make new homes and sing their own +sweet songs. + +The old birds stayed on the Avenue awhile longer, but when the leaves +put on their holiday dresses, and the flowers tied on their nightcaps +and went to sleep, the Redbreasts sang good-by to their friends and, +spreading their wings, flew away over the house tops toward the Sunny +South. + + + + +Easter Carol + + The world is filled with gladness; + The bells of Easter ring; + Each pure white lily's waking, + To welcome infant spring. + + Chorus. + + Oh, dear little children, listen, + And hear what the glad bells say! + The sweetest chime they ever rang-- + "Our Lord is risen to-day!" + + II. + + Birds are flying across the sky; + Their songs ring through the air; + They carol of the Father's love + He shows us everywhere. + + Chorus. + + Oh, dear little children, listen, + And hear what the birdlings say! + The sweetest song they ever sang-- + "Our Lord is risen to-day!" + + + + +The Lily Sisters + +Once upon a time there were three little sisters dressed in green, who +lived together in a beautiful palace which was owned by a Great King. +Such a beautiful palace as it was! The ceilings were made of turquoise +and opal, and soft, velvety green carpets covered the floors. + +Many other children lived with these little sisters, and they had such +a kind nurse called Dame Nature, who taught them how to do their work +well; for everybody had some work to do for the Great King. + +Surely no one could be unhappy in such a wonderful home, and yet, I, am +sorry to say, one of the little sisters was always discontented. + +She knew, for Dame Nature had told her, that some day the Great King +would come to see who had done loving work for him, and would give the +good lilies beautiful white robes and golden crowns, but she was not +willing to wait until the King was ready and saw fit to do it. + +When the Sunbeam children came to play, she would hang down her head and +sulk, and after a while they would leave her alone, and play with her +sisters. + +When Professor Rain's school was out, and the jolly little raindrops +coaxed her to play with them, she would say crossly, "You am too rough, +let me alone!" and they would go and play with the happy little sisters +as the sunbeams had done; for everybody loved the two good little lily +sisters, who were sorry to see how naughty the other lily was. + +But they tried to do their best to help her, and kept on growing. + +One day the Great King, who had seen how well they tried to do, thought +they deserved their robes and crowns, so he sent the sunbeams dancing +away to awaken the inhabitants of the palace for the crowning. + +Away they went, peeping through the curtains, and flying into the +windows of the palace and waking all the little children with kisses. + +Then they took off the old green dresses of the sisters, and put pure +white robes on them and gave them crowns of pure gold. The other little +sister wished then that she had tried to do right, and drooped until she +faded away. + +Madam Wind and the Bird family gave a grand concert in Maple Tree Park. +Everything was full of gladness, and the lily sisters held a reception +all day, and many people came to congratulate them upon being crowned. +Among their visitors was wee Ruth, who kissed them and took them to a +little sick friend. He smiled as she pressed them into his hand, saying: +"Take them, please, for Easter," and in her sweet child language she +told the story of Easter, and of the wonderful work the Great King's Son +did for the people of the beautiful palace. + + + + +Nature's Violet Children + +Once on a sunny hill in the woods grew a little colony of violets. They +had slept quietly through the long winter, tucked up snug and warm in +the soft, white snow-blankets that King Winter had sent Mother Nature for +her flower babies. Jack Frost had gone pouting over the hills because +the little sunbeams would not play with him, and spoiled his fancy +pictures. The tiny raindrops knocked at the door of Mother Nature's +great, brown house; and the birds called to the flowers to wake up. + +So the violets raised their strong, hardy leaves, lifted up their dainty +heads, and were glad because spring had come. While they were so happy, +a little girl came to the woods in search of wild flowers. "How pretty +those violets are," she said. "I wish I could stay and watch the buds +open, but I will take some of them with me and keep them in water, and +they will remind me of this sunny hill, and perhaps they will blossom." + +Then the violets were frightened and whispered, "Please don't take us!" +But Ruth did not hear them, and she pulled stem after stem till her +small hands were quite filled. Then she said good-by to the pretty +place, and the little violets said good-by, too. + +When Ruth got home, she put the buds into a vase of water, and set them +in an open window where they could see the blue sky and feel the kisses +of the sunbeams. But the poor little violets drooped for a time, they +were so homesick, and whispered to each other, "Let us give up and die!" +A beautiful canary in a cage over their heads sang "cheer up! chirrup!" +but they would not listen to him at first. + +By and by they said, "Why do you sing that to us? How can we be happy +away from our beautiful home?" + +Still the bird sang "cheer up! chirrup! The sun is smiling at you and I +am singing to you. We are trying to make you glad. How nice it would +be if you would only blossom and make some one happy instead of hanging +your heads and trying to die. Do you think I like to be shut up here? If +some one would leave the door of my cage open, I would spread my wings +and fly out of the window, far away to the green woods and the blue sky. +But while I am here, I may as well sing and be glad. Cheer up! chirrup!" + +"Perhaps he is right," said the buds, and they lifted up their heads +and began to grow. One bright spring morning Mother Nature passed by the +window and gave them each a lovely violet cap. Then they were, glad, and +Ruth was happy, too, because her buds had blossomed. + +The cheery canary sang his sweetest carol to them, and the whole day was +bright because Mother Nature's little violet children had tried their +best to be happy and so had made others happy, too. + +As the great red sun went down into the west, he heard the happy bird +still singing "cheer up! chirrup!" + + + + +Baby Caterpillar + +Baby Caterpillar was tired. All summer long she had been travelling +slowly through the green world where she lived, and feeding on the green +leaves that grew near her home. Now Autumn had come and Mother Nature +had given a holiday to the leaves, who put on their new dresses of red +and gold and played tag with the breezes. Baby Caterpillar wanted to +play, too, but could not run so fast as the happy little leaves, and she +grew very tired and thought she would take a nap. So she found a cozy +place among the branches of a grape vine, and made herself a soft, silky +blanket. Then she rolled herself away within it, and then, in her queer +little cradle, went to sleep. + +One night, late in the fall, Jack Frost came over the hill. He spied the +cradle swinging to and fro, and began to play roughly with it, for he is +a roguish little fellow, and touches everything that comes in his way. +But the warm blanket hid the little sleeper so that Jack could not find +her. + +By and by King Winter came, bringing beautiful snow blankets to Mother +Nature's flower babies. He gently rocked the cradle as he passed, and +whispered, "Sleep, baby, sleep! You have no need of my blankets." + +At last Spring came with the sunbeams, the best and merriest of Mother +Nature's helpers. They awoke the flowers from their long winter nap, and +called to the birds and the brooks to begin their songs. When they came +to the little brown cradle, they stopped to rest, and Baby Caterpillar +began to get very warm under the thick blanket. She woke up and +stretched herself, and her cradle broke, and she came out to greet the +Spring. But what a change! Instead of the old dingy dress that she +went to sleep in, she now had a beautiful yellow one; and, instead of +crawling among the leaves, she flew up and away into the sweet spring +air to play with the sunbeams and flowers; and the little children +called her a butterfly. + + + + +Five Little Indian Brothers + +Once there were five little brothers living in Farmer Lane's barn. There +were a great many other children there, too, but these little brothers +played by themselves, and chased each other across the wide floor of the +barn until they reached a corner where there was a large crack, and then +they could look out into the world. The first thing they saw was Farmer +Lane breaking up the rich brown earth with his plough, for Spring +had come, and told him it was time to do his planting, while the little +brothers were watching him, and wishing they could find a way to roll +out into the bright sunshine and help him, something happened. What do +you suppose it was? + +A great brown hand came up behind them and in a moment they found +themselves in a wooden measure with many more of their friends. "What +is the matter?" said one little brother. "I don't know," said another. +"Maybe we are going to travel," said a third; while the two smallest +cuddled very closely together, and whispered, "We won't be afraid; God +will take care of us." + +The measure was taken, out into the field, where Farmer Lane was +still at work, and soon, into the furrows made by the plow, the little +brothers were dropped one by one. They lay very still at first. It was +so strange and dark in their new home. By and by they found a friend, an +earth-worm, who told them wonderful stories, how God would take care of +them, and some day would give them a new life. Then the little brothers +were glad and hoped it would be soon. Thus the days went by. The warm +spring showers moistened the earth, and the sun shone so brightly that +the brothers danced for joy way down in their dark home. What do you +suppose happened when they danced? Why, their old coats split open, and +some little hands came out. They were helpful hands, too, and went to +work at once. Some of them went down into the earth to find food and +water for the whole plants, and the others reached upward to the air and +sunshine, and spread out beautiful, long green leaves. + +Each day the plants grew taller and taller, and new buds came that +blossomed into flowery tassels that waved over the tops of the plants. +These tassels were fall of a golden dust called pollen, and as the wind +blew it to and fro, some of the tiny grains found little green cradles +along the sides of the plants, and crept into them. There they stayed, +growing strong and round, until one midsummer day the plants were full +of ripe, sweet ears of corn. + +When were the five little brothers, do you ask? Why, they were five +little kernels of Indian corn that Farmer Lane planted one spring +morning, and each beautiful stalk of corn was the new life the +earth-worm told them about. God had taken care of them, and takes care +of of His little children, too. + + + + +Buttercup Gold + +Did you ever hear of the pot of gold hidden at the end of the rainbow? +Some people think it is there now, but they are mistaken, for a long +time ago somebody found it. How he happened to find it, nobody knows, +for a great many people have searched in vain, and have never even been +able to discover that the rainbow has any ends at all. The man who found +it was very selfish and did not want anybody to know, for fear they +might want some of his money. So one night he put it in a bag, which +he slung over his shoulder, and walked across the fields toward a thick +wood where he meant to hide it. + +In the bag was something beside the gold--something so small that the +greedy man in his hurry had not noticed it. It was a hole, and, as he +walked on, one by one the gold coins fell out into the grass. When he +reached the wood and found all of his money gone, he hurried back to +search for it, but something strange had happened. It was a midsummer +night, and the fairies were having a dance out in the meadows. They were +good, loving little people, and despised selfishness above everything. +One little fairy spied the glittering gold among the grasses. She had +seen the greedy man passing by, and knew he would soon be back to hunt +for his treasure. "It will do him no good," she said, "if he hides +it away, and neither will it help anybody else. I will change it into +something that will give joy to rich and poor." + +When the greedy man reached the meadow he could see no gold money, +but in its place were bright, yellow flowers--buttercup gold for the +children. + + + + +The Raindrops + +Up above us, near the Sky Country, in a place called Cloudland, live a +great many little people, called raindrops. They are very helpful, +and always try to do their best, because they know the great King of +Cloudland has work for them all. One morning two tiny raindrops were +sitting together looking down at Earthdom. "How dusty and hot everything +looks," said one drop. "Yes," replied the other, "let us go down and +see how much good we can do in Earthdom to-day." So these two little +raindrops called their brothers and sisters and told of their plan, and +asked them to go, too, for they always wanted to share their good time +with others. "Let's have a game of tag, and see who will reach the top +of that hill first," said one little drop, and away they scampered. They +ran so fast that they reached Earthdom at about the same time, and how +glad Mother Nature was to see them. Some of them went at once to +visit the flowers, and whispered such sweet words to the tired, dusty +blossoms, that they raised their heads again, and thanked the raindrops +for the comfort they had brought. Some of them slid down the slanting +roofs of houses and filled the wells. Our two little raindrops with five +others, went down into the brown earth and cheered up the roots. Then +they travelled on, and by and by they came out again further down the +hill, and made a beautiful spring, around which little children +played. The spring soon helped make a brook, that flowed down over the +hillsides, winding in and out among the rocks, washing them smooth and +round, singing as it rippled on its way. + +By and by it met some more brooks and they made a stream. The sunbeams +loved the clear stream and danced to and fro over its surface, as it +rushed joyously onward, turning the busy mill wheels, and keeping the +grass and flowers alive and beautiful. Sometimes weary travellers walked +along its banks, and stooped and quenched their thirst with its pure, +cool water. While the stream journeyed on, it met other streams and they +made a rivulet, and by and by the rivulet heard a low voice calling, +"Come with me and I will show you the mightiest of waters." So the +rivulet joined the river, and together they travelled on till they heard +the deep voice of the ocean welcoming them to its cave. + +Where were the little raindrops that left Cloudland early in the +morning? They were playing among the ocean waves, and helping to rock +the ships that sailed over the waters. At sunset a vapor-boat carried +the drops back home and in the eastern sky they stood with robes of red, +orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, and made a bright bow +of promise. + +As they looked down upon Earthdom once more, everything was fresh, and +sweet, and glad, because the little raindrops had done so much to help +others, and had left no part of their work undone. The night shadows +came, and the rainbow faded slowly away, leaving a message for the +children of Earthdom. "Do your best, little children, and big children, +too, for God has work for all." + + +Glories + +Laura was tired of playing with her dolls, and tired of taking care of +Baby Donald, too, he was such a big baby, and she was a little girl for +nine years old. So as soon as nap time came, and baby was at last quiet, +Laura went out on the porch and cuddled down in the hammock, where she +swung to and fro, wishing there was something nice to do, or some new +kinds of dolls to play with. All at once she thought she heard a +faint voice say, "What a queer child! Here she is wishing for some new +plaything, and has never noticed us. She must be blind, poor child! for +every morning we put on our prettiest dresses and smile at her; but she +always passes us by." + +"Yes," replied another voice, "when she came out here to lie down in the +hammock, I brushed her hair softly and left a kiss on her forehead; but +she shook me off as if I were a bee trying to sting her." + +Laura sat up, rubbed her eyes, and looked around in surprise. Had some +one really spoken, or had she only fallen asleep and dreamed it all? + +She could see nothing except the morning glories which covered the side +of the porch. There seemed to be hundreds of them, blue, white, pink, +and violet; and how wide awake they looked! "It must have been the +'glories' talking," said Laura, "but I didn't know glories could talk. +Can you, dear glories?" + +The flowers nodded, as if they understood what she said. + +"What pretty colors! I never half noticed them before," went on Laura, +"and wouldn't that blue one make a lovely dress?" + +Just then wee Donald, fresh from his nap, came toddling out through +the open door, and stretched his little fat hands to the glories. "Baby +wants a trumpet," he cried. + + +Laura laughed aloud as she said: "Why, they do look like trumpets, and +like parasols, too;" and she gathered a handful of the blossoms and +sprinkled the porch with their brightness. "Let's play with them, baby; +see if we can make some dolls;" and Laura stood a glory on the step, +and into the tiny hole stuck the yellow center of a daisy, whose petals +she had pulled out. On this center she marked eyes, nose, and mouth; and +when a small glory was added for a bonnet, what a pretty flower doll +she had, with a pink skirt, green waist, and white bonnet! Then a whole +family of glories were made, and Laura gave them each a parasol to +carry. + +Baby used his glories for tents, and they had a good time playing, and +Laura wished she had noticed the glories more before. + +By and by, when the day was over, and Laura sat again in the hammock, +watching the sleeping glories, she said: "I wonder if the glories could +have been talking this morning; "and one little sleepy bud looked as if +it could tell if it chose. But Mamma put her arm about the little girl +and said, "I think it was a dream, dear. But if the flowers could speak +I think they would tell my darling that by using her eyes more, she will +find out how much there is that is beautiful, and God made them all for +us to enjoy, because he loves us. Every flower that blooms its sweetest, +and every child who tries to be good, is a precious part of our Heavenly +Father's glories." + + + + +A Fall Song + + Golden and red trees + Nod to the soft breeze, + As it whispers, "Winter is near;" + And the brown nuts fall + At the wind's loud call, + For this is the Fall of the year. + + Good-by, sweet flowers! + Through bright Summer hours + You have filled our hearts with cheer + We shall miss you so, + And yet you must go, + For this is the Fall of the year. + + Now the days grow cold, + As the year grows old, + And the meadows are brown and sere; + Brave robin redbreast + Has gone from his nest, + For this is the Fall of the year. + + I do softly pray + At the close of day, + That the little children, so dear, + May as purely grow + As the fleecy snow + That follows the Fall of the year. + + + + +The Babies' Blankets + +"Such a cold day," sighed Mother Nature, "and no blankets to keep my +babies warm! Little Jack Frost came over the hill last night, and what +mischief the boy is planning to do now, it is hard to tell. He is such +a happy little fellow, but is always up to some prank. If Father Winter +does not send me some blankets soon, I fear Jack will pinch my babies' +toes, and pull their ears, and make them shiver till they am ready to +freeze. I have put them to bed and told them to keep quiet, and perhaps +Jack will not see them." + +"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed a tinkling voice right at the dear old lady's +elbow. "Some of your children did not mind you. Early this morning I +found one of them whispering to a sunbeam, and under the hedge found +a tiny blue aster. I shook her till she was so cold she was glad to go +back to bed again. Ha! ha! ha!" and Jack gave Mother Nature such a hug +that she shivered, and murmured: "Poor babies! I must write a letter to +Father Winter." + +This is what the letter said: + +Earthdom, November 1, 1893. + +Dear Father Winter:--Have you any warm blankets for my babies? The +season is coming when they should take a long, long nap, and Jack is up +to his tricks again. Please send me some blankets soon. + +From your old friend, + +Mother Nature. + +This letter she directed to + +King Winter, The Polar Regions, Cloud-dom. + +Then she called her messenger, Autumn Wind, and sent him northward with +her message. King Winter was seated on his throne at the back of the +North Wind, planning his coming work in Earthdom, when Autumn Wind +arrived with the letter. + +"Deary me! deary me!" said the king, "has Jack Frost gone to bother +Mother Nature? I meant he should wait for me this year. But something +must be done. Ho! Snowflake, come here, and bring your sisters and +brothers with you." + +In a few moments a troop of dainty beings clothed in white came dancing +along. "What do you wish, Father Winter?" they asked. + +"Mother Nature has need of you, my helpers," replied the king. "You +must, stop the next passing cloud, and go down to Earthdom, and cover up +the babies. Jack is there, and they are freezing." + +Just then a golden-edged cloud floated by, and the snowflakes huddled +together on it and were soon travelling earthward. The sun was setting +as they passed the western gate of the city, and the cloud was tinged +with red and gold. By and by it began to grow dark, and the little cloud +grew larger and larger, and before long the night came. In the morning +the little children of Earthdom were surprised to see a white covering +over the land. + +"See the snow, the beautiful snow" they cried; and the sleds were +brought out, and such a merry time as they had playing in the white +drifts! But I wonder if any of them knew what the snow really came for, +and how glad dear Mother Nature was because her babies were sleeping +safe and warm under the downy snowflake blankets. + + + + +The First Christmas + + Once there lay a little baby + Sleeping in the fragrant hay, + And this lovely infant stranger + Brought our first glad Christmas day. + + Shepherds on the hillside, watching + Over wandering flocks at night, + Heard a strange, sweet strain of music, + Saw a clear and heavenly light. + + Listened to the angels' story:-- + How, in David's town so still, + Slept the infant King of Glory, + Dreaming of sweet peace, good will. + + And a star of radiant splendor + Led them where the baby lay, + Lowly cradled in a manger, + On that far-off Christmas day. + + Though that day was long ago, + Every child throughout the earth + Loves to hear each year the story + Of the gentle Christ Child's birth. + + And they seem to see the beauty + Of the eastern star again; + And repeat the angels' chorus: + "Peace on earth, good will to men." + + + + +The Christmas Star + +Long, long ago, in the blue sky above the hills of Bethlehem, twinkled +the stars. Very early in the morning they would sing together and would +tell each other of what they had seen during the long night. + +They used to watch the shepherds guarding their flocks upon the +hillsides, and one bright evening star that looked down upon the +earth earlier than the others, would tell stories of little children +whispering their prayers at the twilight hour. One wintry night a new +star came to visit the other stars. It was so radiant that its rays +shone upon the gray hills and made them light as day. It had come on +a wonderful errand. The shepherds saw it and were frightened at its +strange brightness; but an angel came to them and said: "Do not be +afraid; the star has come to bring you good, tidings of great joy, and +to show you the place where a little babe is born,--a little babe whose +name is Jesus, and who will give peace and joy to the whole world." + +Then the shepherds heard some singing,--beautiful singing, for a great +many angels had come to tell the good news; and the star grew larger and +brighter, it was so glad. When the angels had gone back to Heaven, +the shepherds said, "Let us go and see this child." So they left their +flocks sleeping on the hillsides, and took their crooks in their hands +and followed the star, which travelled on and on till it led them to the +little stable in Bethlehem, when the Baby Jesus was cradled in a manger. +Then the star moved on again to a country far away, where some good, +wise men lived. They saw the bright light, and noticed the star moving +on and on, as if it were showing them the way to go. So they, too, +followed the star till it rested above the birthplace of Jesus. Then the +wise men went in and gave their best gifts to the baby, and they and the +shepherds knelt and thanked God for sending the little Christ Child to +be the best Christmas present the great world ever had. The star watched +over them, casting a peaceful light over all. At last the dawn came over +the hill tops, and the star went away, far back into the blue heavens, +to tell the other stars the story of our first glad Christmas day. + + + + +Love's Garden + + There is a quiet garden, + From the rude world set apart, + Where seeds for Christ are growing; + This is the loving heart. + + The tiny roots are loving thoughts; + Sweet words, the fragrant flowers + Which blossom into loving deeds,-- + Ripe fruits for harvest hours. + + Thus in our hearts the seeds of love + Am growing year by year; + And we show our love for the Saviour, + By loving His children here. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Buttercup Gold and Other Stories, by +Ellen Robena Field + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BUTTERCUP GOLD AND OTHER STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 1978.txt or 1978.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/7/1978/ + +Produced by Dianne Bean + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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