FLOWER CHILDREN.
“Wake up! wake up!” was the first thing she heard. She raised herself on one elbow, and looked about her.
On the floor lay the fan, and staring up at her from one of the slats was a face.
“Well, I declare!” said Tina.
“Come, wake up! They are waiting for you,”said the child, who now stood by the bed. “They are all down stairs.”
Tina did not have time to say anything, but picked up the fan and followed the child downstairs.
They went into a room full of children; most of them were sitting around the floor, and one seemed to be telling the others a story.
As Tina came in they made room for her.
“Begin the story over again, Daffodil,” said they, “so Eglantine can hear it.”
“My name isn’t Eglantine,” said Tina.
“Oh, yes, it is,” said they. “That’s why you are called Tina.”
“But I don’t know your names,” said Tina.
“Well, we’ll tell you,” said they, “before we begin the story. Here are Violet, and Rose, and Lily; Hyacinth, Johnny-jump-up, and Sweet William; and Daffodil is going to tell us about little Snow-drop.”
Daffodil had lovely long, yellow hair. Violetwas dressed in blue, Rose in pink, and Lily in white. Hyacinth’s clothes were of different colors. Johnny-jump-up was a pretty little fellow in purple velvet jacket, and Sweet William wore dark red.
“And what is your name?” said Tina to the child who had awaked her.
“Four-o’-clock,” said she, spreading out her red and white striped frock. “That is why they sent me up to call you.”
Shy little Violet nestled up to Daffodil, Rose stood near her, tall Lily sat opposite, and Four-o’-clock sat down by Hyacinth. Tina knelt down between Rose and Sweet William, and Johnny-jump-up stood behind Daffodil.
“One day,” began Daffodil, “very early in the spring, I chanced to be out for the first time. It was quite cold; the snow was on the ground, and I began to wish I had stayed in a while longer. I looked about for some one to speak to, for I felt lonely. I thought perhaps Hyacinth might be out, but he wasn’t; and I knew it was too soon for little Violet. I sat for some time looking about, then I jumped down, and thought I would take a walk.
[Girl]
“I went along through the snow. Oh, it was so cold! I was really glad that every one was indoors. Pretty soon I saw a little heap over in the corner where the snow-drops live. I went over there and brushed aside the snow, and there was a dear little baby snow-drop. She was asleep, and I was sorry I had brushed off her cover, for I knew the frost would nip her, she was so young.
“I couldn’t cover her up again very well, so I picked her up in my arms and brought her to a sunny spot. As soon as she was warmed through, she opened her eyes and smiled.
“She stayed near me all that day, and was so much company. But it was so cold that night that she couldn’t stand it; so she was taken home before I was, and when I got here she was waiting for me.
“How glad I was to see her, for none of youhad come there, you know. But there is Bluebell ringing for us. We must run to the school-room.”
[Children]
They all got up and ran out, taking Tina with them.
“We only have to go to look over our lessons for to-morrow,” said Four-o’-clock, putting her arm around Tina. “It will only be for half an hour.”
Tina went with them into a large school-room, and saw that there were different classes for them all, though they all seemed to learn pretty much the same thing.
After a while Bluebell rang again, and they all stood up waiting for their teachers, and in they came.
There was Miss Sunshine, Miss Wind, and Miss Rain. They all gathered around Miss Sunshine, and some of them went out with her; but two or three stayed behind to have their lessons explained by Miss Wind and Miss Rain.
“Where is Snow-drop?” said Tina. “I have not seen her.”
“She is so little and delicate she doesn’t often come to school. She is with Eolus, Miss Wind’s brother; he is so fond of music, and Snow-drop loves to hear him play.”
They passed along through the garden, and everywhere Miss Sunshine went it looked brighter. She smiled down on Tina, and Tina blushed with pleasure.
They went on into the house, and came to a curtained doorway. As they drew near, Tina heard music that sounded like the wind blowing over harp-strings. It had a wild, sweet, wailing sound, that almost made Tina cry. She pushed aside the curtain and went into the room. A boy was playing on a violoncello, and on the floor sat the dearest little child, all in white.
“That must be Snow-drop,” thought Tina, “and she does look like one.”
“What are you playing?” she asked the boy.
“Don’t you hear?” he replied. “It is the Wind’s Song.”
“I knew it sounded like the wind,” said Tina.
“Sit down and listen,” said he.
Tina sat down, and it seemed to her that the wind was speaking, and this was what it said:
“Up and away, where the leaves are at play,Or where on the rocks the waves dash their spray;Sending wild clouds scudding fast through the sky,Sweeping along o’er the whole earth go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!“Up and away; ever on, ever on,Strewing my tokens wherever I’ve gone;Whirling, and driving, and hurrying by,O’er hill-top, through valley, forever go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!“Up and away, with a blast and a swoop,All round the house, with a howl and a whoop;Singing my wild song, now low, now high,Through key-holes, down chimneys, round corners go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!”
“Up and away, where the leaves are at play,Or where on the rocks the waves dash their spray;Sending wild clouds scudding fast through the sky,Sweeping along o’er the whole earth go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!“Up and away; ever on, ever on,Strewing my tokens wherever I’ve gone;Whirling, and driving, and hurrying by,O’er hill-top, through valley, forever go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!“Up and away, with a blast and a swoop,All round the house, with a howl and a whoop;Singing my wild song, now low, now high,Through key-holes, down chimneys, round corners go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!”
“Up and away, where the leaves are at play,Or where on the rocks the waves dash their spray;Sending wild clouds scudding fast through the sky,Sweeping along o’er the whole earth go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!
“Up and away, where the leaves are at play,
Or where on the rocks the waves dash their spray;
Sending wild clouds scudding fast through the sky,
Sweeping along o’er the whole earth go I.
Whe-e-e-e-ew!
“Up and away; ever on, ever on,Strewing my tokens wherever I’ve gone;Whirling, and driving, and hurrying by,O’er hill-top, through valley, forever go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!
“Up and away; ever on, ever on,
Strewing my tokens wherever I’ve gone;
Whirling, and driving, and hurrying by,
O’er hill-top, through valley, forever go I.
Whe-e-e-e-ew!
“Up and away, with a blast and a swoop,All round the house, with a howl and a whoop;Singing my wild song, now low, now high,Through key-holes, down chimneys, round corners go I.Whe-e-e-e-ew!”
“Up and away, with a blast and a swoop,
All round the house, with a howl and a whoop;
Singing my wild song, now low, now high,
Through key-holes, down chimneys, round corners go I.
Whe-e-e-e-ew!”
“How do you like it?” said Eolus.
[Children]
“Very much,” Tina replied. “Won’t you please play something else?”
He did so; and all the time he was playing Tina thought of trickling water, lovely flowers, and moonlight.
“That was lovely,” she said, sighing, when he had finished.
“I think so, too,” said Snow-drop. “Come, take me to the dear Sunshine. I am tired.”
“You look pale,” said Tina; and taking her by the hand, she led her out doors. The others were running hither and thither, their bright dresses making them look like bunches of flowers at a little distance.
“Come play,” they called to Tina; and she ran to join them, leaving Snow-drop with Miss Sunshine.
“Let us play the ‘Wreath,’” they said.
“What is that?” said Tina.
“Oh, you will see;” and in another moment they were formed into a long chain.
“Now, go see how we look,” they said to Tina.
She ran off a little way, and saw that they looked like a wreath of flowers.
While she was looking, they all gathered around Lily, and there was a big bouquet, with Lily in the middle.
“I don’t see how they do it,” thought Tina.
“Now we are going to hide,” said they, “and you must find us;” and in another moment they were gone.
Tina looked all around for them, but not one was to be seen. Instead, the garden was full of blooming flowers.
As she passed by the different ones, they all seemed to look knowingly at her.
She ran about till she was quite warm and tired. She stopped by a rosebush, and began to fan herself with a big leaf; and what was her surprise to find, while she was fanning, it turned into the same fan she had used so often before.
[Children]