music as of singing blossoms.

"Where have you brought me, and what mean these lovely sounds?"
asked Eva.

"Look here, and you shall see," said Rose-Leaf, as she bent aside
the vines, "but listen silently or you cannot hear."

Then Eva, looking through the drooping vines, beheld a garden filled
with the loveliest flowers; fair as were all the blossoms she had seen
in Fairy-Land, none were so beautiful as these. The rose glowed
with a deeper crimson, the lily's soft leaves were more purely white,
the crocus and humble cowslip shone like sunlight, and the violet
was blue as the sky that smiled above it.

"How beautiful they are," whispered Eva, "but, dear Rose-Leaf, why
do you keep them here, and why call you this your fairest sight?"

"Look again, and I will tell you," answered the Fairy.

Eva looked, and saw from every flower a tiny form come forth to
welcome the Elves, who all, save Rose-Leaf, had flown above the wall,
and were now scattering dew upon the flowers' bright leaves and
talking gayly with the Spirits, who gathered around them, and seemed
full of joy that they had come. The child saw that each one wore the
colors of the flower that was its home. Delicate and graceful were
the little forms, bright the silken hair that fell about each lovely
face; and Eva heard the low, sweet murmur of their silvery voices and
the rustle of their wings. She gazed in silent wonder, forgetting she
knew not who they were, till the Fairy said,--

"These are the spirits of the flowers, and this the Fairy Home where
those whose hearts were pure and loving on the earth come to bloom in
fadeless beauty here, when their earthly life is past. The humblest
flower that blooms has a home with us, for outward beauty is a
worthless thing if all be not fair and sweet within. Do you see
yonder lovely spirit singing with my sister Moonlight? a clover
blossom was her home, and she dwelt unknown, unloved; yet patient and
content, bearing cheerfully the sorrows sent her. We watched and saw
how fair and sweet the humble flower grew, and then gladly bore her
here, to blossom with the lily and the rose. The flowers' lives
are often short, for cruel hands destroy them; therefore is it our
greatest joy to bring them hither, where no careless foot or wintry
wind can harm them, where they bloom in quiet beauty, repaying our
care by their love and sweetest perfumes."

"I will never break another flower," cried Eva; "but let me go
to th