SUMMER MEETING, 1917. 299 



than he could do with the policemen. There was a great love for 

 the beautiful which needed cultivation. I had a friend who 

 wanted to beautify the railroads all the way into Boston. People 

 told him when he got that far the hoodlums there would tear up 

 everything. When he got into the city he commenced planting 

 flowers and the children would come out and look on, and he said, 

 'We are working for you. The rich people have their gardens 

 and everything they want. These flowers are yours, they are 

 for you, you mustn't touch them nor let any one else touch them.' 

 It was a great revelation. Let anybody touch one of those flowers 

 and they would have a hard time of it. They would have a troop 

 of wild cats after them. I mention this to let you know the abso- 

 lute necessity of cultivating the beautiful. 



"There is a mission indeed in the beauty which God has 

 created, these gardens of precious jewels, the diamond for the 

 stars, the sparkling emerald for the greenness, the sapphire, 

 gathering in all the blueness of the heavens, and all of these other 

 gems of priceless value. Did you ever realize that He who planted 

 this earth and covered it with beauty also landscaped the heavens. 

 Just think what has been done. Here is a piece of earth. You 

 plant a few peonies and a few iris, and the invisible artist takes 

 the dull brown earth for his study, and out of this barrenness, 

 and blackness such tints are evolved. It's God working with 

 you, and these things so beautiful are symbolical of what lies 

 beyond us. They are revealing to us the glory of what will be. 

 I think of the arch over which is written, 'Well done, good and 

 faithful servant, all these are yours.' The gardens of God are 

 beautified and glorified for you and for me." 



There were a number of other visitors from abroad and those 

 whose names come to the writer were Mrs. Crawford, of Indiana, 

 and Mr. Good of Good & Reese, Springfield, Ohio. All of these 

 visitors whose names are mentioned were there for the purpose of 

 seeing the peony exhibit. Their presence will undoubtedly be a 

 stimulant to increase the scope and value of peony exhibits to be 

 made by the society in coming years. 



Many ladies in attendance gave their time from early fore- 

 noon till the closing hour in sale of flowers for the Red Cross 

 fund. These were not primarily flowers on exhibition, but were 

 contributed by the exhibitors for this purpose — and there were 

 loads of them. We have no record of the amount, but they occu- 

 pied a room adjoining that where the regular display was made 

 and constituted a large exhibition by themselves. One contributor 

 brought in, we understand, 1,000 peonies, and many others a 

 considerable amount. The total sales for this fund amounted to 

 $117.62. 



Pleasant weather, and a pleasant day, and a kindly word, 

 and a greeting of smiles and joy filled the day, which passed ever 

 so pleasantly, and which we expect will be repeated year after 

 year as the society shall get together for its annual summer 

 picnic. 



