Others , with sullen , anxious looks , seemed gathering up all they could reach , and Annie saw that the more they gained , the less they seemed to have ; and these she knew were shapes of Selfishness . Spirits of Pride were there , who folded their shadowy garments round them , and turned scornfully away from all the rest . These and many others little Annie saw , which had come from her own heart , and taken form before her eyes . When first she saw them , they were small and weak ; but as she looked they seemed to grow and gather strength , and each gained a strange power over her . She could not drive them from her sight , and they grew ever stronger , darker , and more unlovely to her eyes . They seemed to cast black shadows over all around , to dim the sunshine , blight the flowers , and drive away all bright and lovely things ; while rising slowly round her Annie saw a high , dark wall , that seemed to shut out everything she loved ; she dared not move , or speak , but , with a strange fear at her heart , sat watching the dim shapes that hovered round her . Higher and higher rose the shadowy wall , slowly the flowers near her died , lingeringly the sunlight faded ; but at last they both were gone , and left her all alone behind the gloomy wall . Then the spirits gathered round her , whispering strange things in her ear , bidding her obey , for by her own will she had yielded up her heart to be their home , and she was now their slave . Then she could hear no more , but , sinking down among the withered flowers , wept sad and bitter tears , for her lost liberty and joy ; then through the gloom there shone a faint , soft light , and on her breast she saw her fairy flower , upon whose snow-white leaves her tears lay shining . Clearer and brighter grew the radiant light , till the evil spirits turned away to the dark shadow of the wall , and left the child alone . The light and perfume of the flower seemed to bring new strength to Annie , and she rose up , saying , as she bent to kiss the blossom on her breast , `` Dear flower , help and guide me now , and I will listen to your voice , and cheerfully obey my faithful fairy bell . '' Then in her dream she felt how hard the spirits tried to tempt and trouble her , and how , but for her flower , they would have led her back , and made all dark and dreary as before . Long and hard she struggled , and tears often fell ; but after each new trial , brighter shone her magic flower , and sweeter grew its breath , while the spirits lost still more their power to tempt her . Meanwhile , green , flowering vines crept up the high , dark wall , and hid its roughness from her sight ; and over these she watched most tenderly , for soon , wherever green leaves and flowers bloomed , the wall beneath grew weak , and fell apart . Thus little Annie worked and hoped , till one by one the evil spirits fled away , and in their place came shining forms , with gentle eyes and smiling lips , who gathered round her with such loving words , and brought such strength and joy to Annie 's heart , that nothing evil dared to enter in ; while slowly sank the gloomy wall , and , over wreaths of fragrant flowers , she passed out into the pleasant world again , the fairy gift no longer pale and drooping , but now shining like a star upon her breast . Then the low voice spoke again in Annie 's sleeping ear , saying , `` The dark , unlovely passions you have looked upon are in your heart ; watch well while they are few and weak , lest they should darken your whole life , and shut out love and happiness for ever . Remember well the lesson of the dream , dear child , and let the shining spirits make your heart their home . '' And with that voice sounding in her ear , little Annie woke to find it was a dream ; but like other dreams it did not pass away ; and as she sat alone , bathed in the rosy morning light , and watched the forest waken into life , she thought of the strange forms she had seen , and , looking down upon the flower on her breast , she silently resolved to strive , as she had striven in her dream , to bring back light and beauty to its faded leaves , by being what the Fairy hoped to render her , a patient , gentle little child . And as the thought came to her mind , the flower raised its drooping head , and , looking up into the earnest little face bent over it , seemed by its fragrant breath to answer Annie 's silent thought , and strengthen her for what might come . Meanwhile the forest was astir , birds sang their gay good-morrows from tree to tree , while leaf and flower turned to greet the sun , who rose up smiling on the world ; and so beneath the forest boughs and through the dewy fields went little Annie home , better and wiser for her dream .
Autumn flowers were dead and gone , yellow leaves lay rustling on the ground , bleak winds went whistling through the naked trees , and cold , white Winter snow fell softly down ; yet now , when all without looked dark and dreary , on little XXXXX 's breast the fairy flower bloomed more beautiful than ever .
Annie back first flowers good-morrows heart left morning waken wall