WILD FLOWEHS. 



some unconscious thought or feeling of the truth 

 and strength of your affection. It is a pleasant and 

 kindly old superstition ; one which is at all events 

 harmless ; pleasant to those who really believe in its 

 truth, and pleasant even to those who though too 

 sensible to believe in it, recollect how in their youth- 

 ful days they thought it auspicious to see the dan- 

 delion-seeds floating gently towards them on some 

 quiet summer's day. And, after all, in the many 

 mysteries which entangle our life on every side ive 

 know that true and kindly wishes, from even the 

 humblest and least known do, and must influence 

 our welfare, and it is consoling to many a suffering 

 and noble heart to feel that its most secret prayers 

 and wishes may benefit some cherished one to whom 

 outwardly it cannot minister. Absence requires 

 every tendril which the heart can put forth to sup- 

 port it ; and so small a one as this thought need not 

 be rashly despised. 



^ The dandelion too, has another pleasant asso- 

 ciation connected with it; be the season what it 

 may, hot or cold, summer or winter, still there is 

 rarely a time when the dandelion-flower may not be 

 found in some warm and sunny nook ; so that it 

 may be taken for almost as good an emblem of con- 

 stancy as is the groundsel in the pretty old nursery 

 rhyme : 



" Through storm and wind, 



Sunshine and shower, 

 Still will you find 

 Groundsel in flower." 



As for the appearance of the dandelionour only 



