sangandsoundedeveryray,andtheflowerlifteditselfupoverthesnowintothebrighterworld.thesunbeamscaressedandkissedit,sothatitopenedaltogether,whiteassnow,andornamentedwithgreenstripes.itbentitsheadinjoyandhumility.

"beautifulflower!"saidthesunbeams,"howgracefulanddelicateyouare!youarethefirst,youaretheonlyone!youareourlove!youarethebellthatringsoutforsummer,beautifulsummer,overcountryandtown.allthesnowwillmelt;thecoldwindswillbedrivenaway;weshallrule;allwillbecomegreen,andthenyouwillhavecompanions,syringas,laburnums,androses;butyouarethefirst,sograceful,sodelicate!"

thatwasagreatpleasure.itseemedasiftheairweresingingandsounding,asifraysoflightwerepiercingthroughtheleavesandthestalksoftheflower.thereitstood,sodelicateandsoeasilybroken,andyetsostronginitsyoungbeauty;itstoodthereinitswhitedresswiththegreenstripes,andmadeasummer.buttherewasalongtimeyettothesummer-time.cloudshidthesun,andbleakwindswereblowing.

"youhavecometooearly,"saidwindandweather."wehavestillthepower,andyoushallfeelit,andgiveituptous.youshouldhavestayedquietlyathomeandnothaverunouttomakeadisplayofyourself.yourtimeisnotcomeyet!"

itwasacuttingcold!thedayswhichnowcomebroughtnotasinglesunbeam.itwasweatherthatmightbreaksuchalittleflowerintwowithcold.buttheflowerhadmorestrengththansheherselfknewof.shewasstronginjoyandinfaithinthesummer,whichwouldbesuretocome,whichhadbeenannouncedbyherdeeplongingandconfirmedbythewarmsunlight;andsosheremainedstandinginconfidenceinthesnowinherwhitegarment,bendingherheadevenwhilethesnow-flakesfellthickandheavy,andtheicywindssweptoverher.

"you'llbreak!"theysaid,"andfade,andfade!whatdidyouwantouthere?whydidyouletyourselfbetempted?thesunbeamonlymadegameofyou.nowyouhavewhatyoudeserve,yousummergauk.""summergauk!"sherepeatedinthecoldmorninghour.

"osummergauk!"criedsomechildrenrejoicingly;"yonderstandsone-howbeautiful,howbeautiful!thefirstone,theonlyone!"

thesewordsdidtheflowersomuchgood,theyseemedtoherlikewarmsunbeams.inherjoytheflowerdidnotevenfeelwhenitwasbrokenoff.itlayinachild'shand,andwaskissedbyachild'smouth,andcarriedintoawarmroom,andlookedonbygentleeyes,andputintowater.howstrengthening,howinvigorating!theflowerthoughtshehadsuddenlycomeuponthesummer.

thedaughterofthehouse,abeautifullittlegirl,wasconfirmed,andshehadafriendwhowasconfirmed,too.hewasstudyingforanexaminationforanappointment."heshallbemysummergauk,"shesaid;andshetookthedelicateflowerandlaiditinapieceofscentedpaper,onwhichverseswerewritten,beginningwithsummergaukandendingwithsummergauk."myfriend,beawintergauk."shehadtwittedhimwiththesummer.yes,allthiswasintheverses,andthepaperwasfoldeduplikealetter,andtheflowerwasfoldedintheletter,too.itwasdarkaroundher,darkasinthosedayswhenshelayhiddeninthebulb.theflowerwentforthonherjourney,andlayinthepost-bag,andwaspressedandcrushed,whichwasnotatallpleasant;butthatsooncametoanend.

thejourneywasover;theletterwasopened,andreadbythedearfriend.howpleasedhewas!