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Vol. II. ILmsworth, Iowa, Jan., 1882. No. .6. 
For tlxe Floral Instructor. 
CHRISTMAS GREETING. 
We love the merry Christmas time, 
The church bells that in sweetness chime, 
When youthful voices light and gay 
Glad greeting give the festal day. 
And loving voices sing gocd will, 
That peace and joy all hearts may fill, 
And promise give of the glad day 
When sin and pain shall pass away. 
The fair, sweet Springtime came and went, 
Summer its birds and flowers lent, 
And Autumn, with unsparing hand, 
Has blessed the harvests of our land. 
The year is slowly dying now; 
Winter gives snow wreaths for its brow,— 
Good-bye, Old Year, We gently call, 
And merry Christmas unto all. 
Sara M. A. Cowles. 
IVY HER FAVORITE. 
Dear Friends of the Instructor. 
—My heart is sad to-day as I sit down 
to write after a long delay, and, although 
the sunbeams are smiling as they chase 
away the last vestige of the late snow 
storm, that came sweeping down upon 
us, accompanied by rude blasts of wind 
that seemed bent on penetrating its un¬ 
welcome presence into every nook and 
corner, my heart cried out, God pity the 
unprotected poor, the half-starved, 
ragged children that wander about our 
cities unloved, many of them, and un¬ 
cared for. Methinks they must some¬ 
times cry out, as they come in contact 
with those living in affluence, and note 
the scornful look that is cast upon them 
as they seemingly shrink from them lest 
their touch contaminate. Ah! they 
forget that there are such things in this 
world as reverses, and fortune’s child 
to-day may he penniless to-morrow. 
What would be the cry welling up from 
the hearts of such ? Where are my 
friends that fawned upon me in hours 
of prosperity ? Alas ! they have van¬ 
ished like dew before the morning sun. 
0 ! for pure friendship that emanates 
from the heart of innocent childhood, 
that sparkles from the eyes that look 
up trustingly into your own. Surely 
such is born of heaven. From such an 
one I have parted to-day. The great 
iron horse bore him right past my door 
anc he is being rapidly borne away to a 
home in Iowa. He will come no more 
to sit by me and smile his appreciation 
of little acts of kindness bestowed that 
cost so little and went so far towards 
making bright oases in the barren desert 
of his clouded life, for my little friend 
is mentally and physically afflicted, but 
0, so patient, and every kind word 
given was repaid with a smile. One 
may learn of a child, and my little 
friend, with his dimmed intellect, taught 
me a lesson of patience, and, although 
possessed of few talents, performs his 
mission. 
I wish Mr. Rennie could see my 
geraniums and coleus. When I lifted 
the geraniums they were leafless and 
withered by the long continued drouth. 
I potted a few, and the sickly looking 
slips that had rooted very soon began to 
revive, and now they are beautiful and 
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