396 TEANSACTIONS OF THE KANKAKEE 



Mrs. M. J. Culter was now called on for her essay, which, after 

 a few preliminary remarks, she proceeded to read as follows: 



MORALIZING IN THE GARDEN. 



Just at the edge of the lawn, down by the back fence, a little 

 out of sight and quite removed from the garden walk, weeds have 

 full possession, and develop natural attributes unrestrained. Peep- 

 ing over the top of the fence some of them watch their neighbors, 

 and higher still some stretch upward to see the sun rise on the water 

 towers. 



The summer's sun and showers had brought the mowers over 

 the lawn many times, and the close-cropped grass was fresh and 

 green. Down close to the ground lay the leaves of the bursa pastoris^ 

 and from the center shot up a stalk of flowers. "Shot up" must be 

 the correct expression, for how many times had it been under the 

 mower's knife, and been taken off to the ground and as many times 

 had it started again with new impulse to reach a result only attained 

 by a season's growth. Its nearest neighbor by the fence some two 

 feet high, was blossomed out in all its full development, but this poor 

 little thing — scarcely two inches of the world's space did it claim, 

 and yet who would not honor it for its ambition and persistence, 

 hurrying against the most adverse circumstances, to flower and fruit 

 in due season. An earlier examination, a month before, would have 

 found it with a stalk, but each renewal was less and less, and now 

 there was no time to spare for grace and proportion, the aim of its 

 life must be attained, and the organs for the seed are all that are im- 

 portant. 



With what strange faculty have some plants been endowed, that 

 they thus exercise a more than human reason? What latent powers 

 are down in nature's work-shop to develop when emergencies arise 

 and where are they stored? Can the root have the knowledge of its 

 extra needs, or the leaves keep a lookout over the domestic arrange- 

 ments, or is there a perfect understanding existing between root and 

 leaf? Should the plant spend the time in sending up another stalk 

 alone, what end would be attained but to fritter away the summer's op- 

 portunity? When human lives are thwarted in their aims, to begin 

 anew with tireless energy to reach the perhaps distant goal, brings 

 the honor that belongs to life's best endeavors. 



Could any one know the influences that shape each life, perhaps 

 the bruises and the scars that mentally and morally seem unsightly 

 and disfiguring, would reveal a strange story of conflict, possibly of 

 daring and fortitude that can be but vaugely guessed. How like to 

 human life grow the weeds and plants, cheerful, steady, constant, 

 or discouraged, down-trodden, hopeless, petted and tended with the 

 utmost care, but yielding to a breath of wind, or the scorching sun; 



