FLOWER CULTURE AMONG THE CHILDREN. 163 



tall stalks of iodian corn standing side by side on the edge of the 

 enclosure, holding their golden treasures close as they proudly toss 

 their topknots in the autumn breeze, rising in their useful majesty 

 above the petty quarrels of their lowlj^ associates. 



"Is this the first corn you ever raised?" we ask. 



" Yes'm; but see what a lot I'll raise next year." In the shining 

 eyes that look up to us, we see broad acres of grain fields stretching 

 far into the future. Success to you and your hopes, little man. Of 

 such material is the bone and sinew of our North Star state. 



Standing beside this little lad is a very small and very silent indi- 

 vidual, whom one discovers to be the child we have long been 

 searching for. He is a brilliant example of a certain type of Min- 

 neapolitan. The street given in the address sent us bears the name 

 of one of the departed presidents of the United States. In our 

 search we have found heroes of revolutionary interest, republicans 

 and democrats of rival fame, represented on lamp post and else- 

 where, but neither lamp post, directory nor other source of inform- 

 ation can be found to furnish any clue in this case, so it is not 

 strange that we have found the boy before finding his home, as he 

 appears to be the sole possessor of the secret of his place of resi- 

 dence. Following him along a winding foot path we reach a place 

 on the open prairie where two houses face each other in antagon- 

 istic attitude, as if ready for a iray. This is the street which bears 

 the name of the lamented hero who has been until now neglected in 

 this patriotic neighborhood. Leading us to his little garden, he 

 shows us a flower bed containing but two varieties of plants, in 

 color and arrangement so beautiful that for the moment we lose 

 ourselves in the pure aesthetic impression, giving expression to our 

 feelings in exclamations of admiration. Only a few clusters of ex- 

 quisite pink asters, surrounded by a wide border of sweet alyssum, 

 but it is beautiful, and we do not hesitate to say so. 



Reluctantly leaving the pink asters, their owner acting as our 

 guide, we cross over to the opposite house, where a rough box con- 

 taining a profusion of dark single petunias, some dark zinnias and 

 other coarse flowers are pointed out by their owner, the little girl 

 whose name is on our list. Not wishing to discourage the child, we 

 remark that her plants look strong and vigorous; then bidding her 

 good bye, take our leave. "Oh, but you ought to have heard what 

 she said about mj' ^arc/ea," burst from the hitherto silent lips — a 

 parting blast from a genuine Minneapolis trumpet which sends us 

 home in reflective mood, resolved never again to express an "emo- 

 tional bias " in our judgment of the merits of rival gardens. 



We are home again, and it only remains to add that in its work 

 kind friends have helped the league with mouej^ time and seed. 

 They are even now holding up our hands. With the continuance of 

 this support, and with the earnest co-operation of the officers and 

 teachers of the public schools the greater success of the movement 

 is fully assured. In portions of the city where dirt and disorder 

 prevailed, much has been done not only in a negative way bj' their 

 removal but in a positive way by the substitution of objects of act- 

 ual beauty. Hundreds of homes have been made cleaner, brighter. 



