The Thorny Treasure

Away back In my chtldhood ywni 's l'li. tu dawued a day I'll ueer lorget ; With il a lessou learued In tears Tlmt's deeply stamped on meiuory yet. Whlle swlngtng on a lattlce gate, In di i lilisii sport, thoughtless and gay, Nol dretunlng of the bitter fate Time darkly hung about my way, A young man came (I knew liim well), Hui nedly rtdtng down the street, And in one hand he closoly held A liunoh of üowers ftesh and sweet. 1. langhlng, i i i i 1 ¦ 1 hlm (M he passed), In a wild bur.st of chi ldtlt glee. And. reachlng ap, wlih inner grasp, 1 cried, "Üli, glve those üowem U me !" Wlth rapld bnste he onward sped, Liut vel he hearü my chüdlDn pica- " Htï, ciitcti tüem quick !" hesmlling sald, And tossud the lresh bouquet to me. Hui In my child-llke eagerness, Whlle tlmikinu only of my prize, (Thelr beauty and thelr lovelineiM VN it.li rujjturc Ulied my longing cyes), I O&nght tlit-m flrmly In my grasp, liui qulokly to the ground I Hung Tl ie treiisure I had louged to clasp, Kor in my hands the thorns haa clung. Loneing heart, no danger heeding, Tili it feit the ni irmniL; pain ; Poor lltlle hands, torn and bleedlng, Nt-ver touched those ñowers agaln. Oft throngh llfe we grasp at pleasures. Hut to teel thelr poisonous stlng; And iliniuli lift we lun( lor tri'iisures Whlch to our hearts wouid sudne.ss brlng. And uilen in youth's brightest hours, Whlle hope'N golden suuliglit dawns. Do we catch at falling ñowers, Only to teel thelr piercing thorns. rierclng the heart wlth deeper wound Thau I hul whicli Kcarred the tlny haud ; A pain fur which no balm is found Tliis side of licavi-u's golden strand. Many hearts are torn and bleedlng, lu angulsh doop and dark to-day ; Many yet the thorns unheedlng Are grasping flowers on lile's way. But from childhood's thoughtless hours lemplatlon ne'er has crossed my way; But wlth lt comen thoM lovely flowers That plerced and tore my hands that day. The lesson learned remalned througb lile, And l've never sought a pleasuret But in my eagerness and strlfe 1 recall that thoruy treasure.