^be Sleep ot tbe plants 189 



of strong children who bravely take care of them- 

 selves while others of their age are still in their 

 nurse's arms. 



The water lilies having finished their bloom draw 

 down under the water, giving no sign of their exist- 

 ence save a few faded dull-red pads idl}^ flapping 

 upon the surface of the pond as autumn winds pass 

 by. The wood flowers, when their seed is matured, 

 disappear entirely, not a stem or dead leaf is left to 

 hint where star-flower, spring beaut}^, Avild pansy, 

 white-hearts, or Solomon's seal has been, or will 

 again be. November counts almost no flowers under 

 her cold gray-blue skies and upon her bare hills, 

 unless, perhajDs, a few hardy compositse linger, such 

 as a wild aster or weazened spray of golden-rod, or 

 corymb of yarrow, or a despised little May- weed, 

 making mock of its own name, gallantly flower- 

 ing vigorously every w^eek from May until snow 

 flies. 



As judicious mothers summon in their little ones, 

 and tuck them safely into bed before night has fully 

 fallen, so the loving mother nature folds away her 

 flower children before the night of winter has well 

 begun. She covers their sleeping forms with such 

 blankets of leaves as the robins brought to the 

 "Babes in the Wood." We see no more of them 

 abroad save a few disobedient stragglers, who already 



