MEMORY

Northern Advocate, 26 May 1938, Page 3

MEMORY

From a little fern-floored glade came the musical sound of youthful laughter. The bright beams of a golden sun. as if anxious to join the merry party of four, were struggling to push their way through the thick canopy of waving green leaves. A soft whispering breeze ruffled the rippling waters of a tiny brook, tinkling along its stony course close by the laughterfilled glade. The chorus of many brightly-pl urn aged birds filled the air with wonderment. It seemed as if pixies and elves, hidden in the shadows or in the tree-tops high, busy with paint tins and brushes, looked down on the glade and chuckled. The tiny group, consisting of Sandy, the eldest. Doris and Cecil, the twins, and Jessica, the youngest, commonly called “Cherry,” trooped out into the woods whore the old-time loveliness wrought by Mother Nature remained upspoilt by human hands. Witli a light, gay step, Cherry ran ahead and, turning a bend in the path, soon disappeared from the sight of the others, to return, a little breathless, after an absence of a few moments. Sandy and the twins, who were admiring a tiny flower growing at the river's edge, looked up in surprise. “Sandy, Cecil, Dorrie! Look! Come, quickly!” she panted impatiently as she drew near. The three others at once leapt to the feet and, with many inquiries, followed Cherry. There, in a fairyland of ferns, they saw the reason for Cherry’s excitement. It was a tiny house, almost hidden by the hanging ferns. Engraved on a silverplate attached to the blue door was the single word, “Memory.” “Let’s go in,” said Cherry, her eyes ashine. Unhesitatingly, the four young children opened the tiny blue door and stood looking in. “Oh!” cried Cherry, bounding towards the far window below which stood a large bowl of the most exquisite cream rose petals. The table, a gigantic mushroom, was strewn with large pink and crimson petals. Tire twins and Sandy, less bold than Cherry, entered a moment later. The tiny blue door closed softly behind them. Cherry darted from place to place, finding new treasures every-

the queen decided that 1 should accompany the Year into the Mortals’ Land and bestow on the humans the gift of remembrance. The Year grew old and returned to the Land of Always, sending out another babe. But still I remained. It was joyful work helping the mortals, but yet, I was lonely. Then the All-wise Queen sent me a helper in the disguise of a pure white rose. That is ‘Happiness.’ The rose never fades altogether; but with the deed of every human who does not try to help and give happiness to others, one petal falls.” Here she sighed and glanced regretfully at the fallen petals about the rose. “How rever, for each kind deed wrought on earth, a new shoot appears, and my rose is ever fresh. It is fortunate that so many people remember, for now my rose is fresh and gay. But. w r e have enemies to conquer. The wicked imps of the Black King of Night and the prickly thorn of Past are anxious to have the world to themselves. But —” she sighed, “if only mortals would remember that to taring pleasure to others is better than to give pain.” Again she sighed. Her sigh was like the whispering wind. It disturbed the petals of the roses over the x-oof and they descended in an avalanche upon the four young children. Shaking the petals from their faces, the children looked about to find themselves sitting together on the green grass, surrounded by fallen autumn leaves. Thf hut, the rose of “Happiness,” and Memory had all disappeared. A glorious glow of rosy red, gold and purple set in the sky. Sandy yawned and, leaping to his feet, cried: “Look, the sun is setting! We must make haste!” He bounded away, closely followed by the twins, while Cherry followed at a distance, murmuring. “Memory! The Happiness Rose! Can it be true?” But as none could answer her, the question was left an unsolved mystery. Together they trudged home in silence, all busy with their own thoughts, while the brown leaves of autumn, driven by the strong south wind, swept by them.