53 
veils his face from them, they sorrowfully droop 
their heads, as if the light he had left upon other 
objects were not worth looking at. 
But now Mary intercepted these bright rays, 
which the Sun was pouring upon the Anemones. 
Perhaps they would have drooped their heads in 
sorrow, if her sw^eet face, sparkling with joy, had 
not shone upon them like a little sun. 
And soon a tiny voice came upon the breeze : 
“ Oh! do not destroy our happiness,” said the flower, 
“ we love to look at the Sun during all the short 
days of our lives. I see clouds in the distant sky, 
so that I know our day will not be a long one ; 
for when it rains we must fold our petals over the 
germ where our life dw r ells, or its vitality will be 
destroyed.” 
Mary stepped aside, that the Anemones might 
enjoy the warmth and brilliancy of the parent rays. 
