The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931, March 10, 1909, Page 24, Image 24

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24 TH The Family -MY FRIEND." By Sara V. Long. All that's earthly, all that's holy. All that angels would defend; All that's pure and fair and lovely. Is my Friend. All that's good and true and honest. All that liarmnnv i>on Klon-1 All that's gentle, sweet and tender, Is mv Friend. All that's patient, kind and helpful. Aught that never could offend; All that's faithful, valiant, loyal. Is my Friend. liver watchful, stanch and steadfast, Ever eager to befriend Those in sorrow or in suff'ring, Is my Friend. Have you one to trust entirely. One whose goodness does nortend? He will guide and guard the friendless, 14ke my Friend. Is there one to light your pathway When the darkness shall descend? Was there ever such another As my rriend? If you wish a peace eternal, That which only one can send. Then accept and love and trust him, This, my Friend. Friend of friends, the great Redeemer, Ever faithful to the end; Jesus Christ, the blessed Savior, Is my Friend. ?Cumberland Presbyterian. THE MORNING GLORY THAT TRIED. Once upon a time a morning glory lay dying, as all flowers must. Calling her children (seeds) to her bedside she whispered : "Dear ones. I am going to leave you for a time. Don't waste any time or strength in mourning for me, but put both into your very best efforts for yourselves and the world. Use every power that is within you for a complete development. Then see how much each can do to make the world brighter, better, more beautiful, and happier for your having lived in it. Then I shall live agaiD in your beauty and in your usefulness, and I shall be so proud of my sons and my daughters (for there are male and female in all plant life, as in human life), and remember that nothing is impossible if you work hard enough and wa't long enough, no matter how difficult it may seem at first. If you find a homely spot on eartn, beautify it; if you see an unhappy mortal, carry joy to him; if one is sick or sunering, you can maker him forget pain in looking at your bright colors, your lovely blossoms; is one discouraged, cheer him as best you can, and always try." Then she lay back on her bed?an old wooden fence, in a back yard, in Dayton, Ohio, which she had made beautiful for many months, and gently breathed her la*t. It was a bright, crisp morning in r [E PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT October when she so beautifully gave up her life, and as Annabel started for school that morning she saw her beautiful vine, frost bitten, wilted, drooping and called back to her mother: "Mamma! I think these morning glory seeds ought to be gathered now, before they are scattered, if we are to sell them to the florist. May 1 stay at home and help you?" for it was monthly "examination" day at school, and Annabel hadn't been over-industrious. "No. dear; that wouldn't be best," said Mrs. Myers, gently, even for her. "But work hard, so as to get home early, and then you can be of real help." In the early afternoon the seeds were gathered, sorted, put into packages and sold to a florist who had long ago bargained for the'm. He put a part of them with his own stock and shipped the rest to customers who had ordered seeds trom him. Among these that went in a big box, tagged "New York." was one that had been deeply touched by her dear mother's last message, and she had made up her mind then and there to work industriously whenever she had opportunity, and to always do her very best. Miss Lizzie Rector, principal of the Primary Department of Public School No. 4, on Rivington street, bought the package in which the dear little seed lay, and took it to school for the children to plant in their window garden. But this little seed had gotten folded into the paper and was hidden, so went into the waste basket and was carried about in the street for a while, until Jimmy Noonan found It and took it home to his mother, who was rubbing away at her wash-tubs. "What is it, darling?" she asked, as Jimmy, breathless, rushed in. "I don't know, but it says 'morning glory, on the paper. See, I've heard you tell so much about your morning glory vines out on the farm, and 1 thought you'd know." She did know; and her tired face fairly beamed with pleasure as she said: "Get a nail, Jimmy, and punch a hole in that tomato can, and we'll fill it with dirt and plant the precious seed." now jouy! And will it grow and have pretty bell-flowers on It, like those you had at the farm?" and he clapped his hands and danced as only an eightyear-old coy can dance when he has an unexpected pleasure. "I think so. We'll wait and see," replied the mother. And they did wait, oh, ' so long, before even a tiny sprout began to show a green tip, for their one window in the two-room tenement taced the north, and as they were on the "first floor, rear," with high buildings all around, theie was no sun and but little ligbt. But the dear little seed had been so happy in the thought that she was to go on wiiii her dear mother's work, even althought it might be under very desperate circumstances, that although she preferred bright, pleasant surroundings, she didn't waste time in regret for what she could not have, but she now put ail her effort into getting up from the deep bed where Jimmy had planted her. She waved her handkerchief as she broke through the earth, unbuttoned her jacket, and looked right up into Jimmy's face. H. March 10, 1909. for he happened to be watching her as she came out of her "prison." "Oh, mamma! the plant's here!" he fairly screamed. "Sure enough," said Mrs. Noonan. "Suppose you take it up to the roof and warm it a bit in the sun," for it was a sunny day, although you never would have guessed it down at the bottom of the five-story building! So Jimmy climbed flight after flight of stairs, and on the roof he found the very sunniest spot, and put. his precious treasure down while he watched it, feasted his eyes on the pale green beginning of a truly morning glory vine. This he did every day for a week and the little plant struggled and grew, and sent out a newleaf and then another, and another, until Mrs. Noonan said: "We must fix a stick for it to run up cn. It's a climber." And it was done. Then the dear little morning glory seemed to 'fairly stretch an inch a day, until one day Jimmy yelled: "Mamma, there's a bud!" and sure enough a bud had started, and after a time that became a beautiful pink blossom, which was followed by another and another, soft, delicate, of untold teauty, and giving pleasure to all in the great building, for Jimmy didn't keep his treasure all to himself. No, indeed! First he tcok it up into the room where a bedridden grandmother lived with her only grandson, who was not always kind to her. She was so pleased, and it made her so happy, that when the little lame girl (who lived across tue hall) said to him: "I wish I had such a pretty thing, Jimmy offered to let her keep it a week, only he must run in to water it in the morning and to say "good-night" in the evening. Next it went into the shop of the Italian cobbler, in the basement, where no sun ever came, and there was even less light than in the Noonan rooms. And how the dark-eyed children in there did enjoy its beauty. It made t>nn??r. sation and pleasure for the entire family during its three days' stay. And finally Jimmy said: "Mamma, let's put Beauty-Spot out in the back yard, where everybody can see it all the time!" That was a big proposition; but it came about, and the next year the seeds were planted in one of Mrs. Noonan's old tubs, and the blossoms and vines covered the fence and ran over into the next yard! Really, even so small a thine as a morning glory can make life happier "for a great many. What can yon do? What will yon do to help scatter "sunshine" wherever you are, to make the world brighter, better, happier, more useful, through your loving service for others? ?New York Observer. I am sure that our friends must be more and not less to us in the other world, and that this world only begins wviiuouiii. riuillj>S MTOOKS. V The prudent sees only the difficulties, the bold only the advantages, of the great enterprise; the hero sees .both, diminishes those, makes these predominate. and conquers.?Lavater. 't I \ \ \ 1 i