“Dear mother,” replied the child, “has always been with me. Dear mother carried a light, and with her ran a little dog, white as the snow, and so faithful and kind.”
Then the mother perceived that the Virgin had guarded her child; and she led the little girl into Eberhard’s Cell, where they offered the wreath at the Virgin’s shrine.
Still blossoms the wreath, embalmed by love and thankful prayer.
THE BLOOMING ROSES.
Within the forest stood a little chapel, in which was a statue of the Virgin. Hither came a young girl, and day by day adorned it with fresh flowers. From the Madonna’s arms the infant Jesus smiled upon the child. Thus passed the spring and summer. The girl, devoted to her occupation, and her heart filled with love for Jesus, thought less and less upon the things of this world. One thought alone troubled her as the autumn advanced; this was, that in winter she would not be able to find flowers to adorn the chapel.
This sad thought weighed heavily on her till one day, when sitting weaving a rose-wreath for the child Jesus, a voice said in her ear, “Be not faint-hearted: are not the summer’s blessings still present with thee? let the present be sufficient for thee:” and so the girl wove on with lightened heart.
When winter came and the roses faded, the young girl was lying on her death-bed; her only sorrow was leaving the Virgin and child Jesus so lonely in the forest.
Lo! at her death the hedges once more bloomed; and, in spite of snow and frost, fresh roses blossomed in the forest. With these was the pall decked, and on the gentle wings of their fragrance the spirit of the young girl was wafted to the sky.
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