88 ESCAPED FROM GARDENS 



So we began to laugh as she gathered a huge 

 armful from places where their loss would not alter 

 the setting of the picture. But, as she stood in the 

 chaise arranging the Lilies in the thrown -back hood 

 which I so frequently used as a carry- all, I saw the 

 expression of her face change. She gave a little gasp 

 and stood quite still, looking back at the Lilies, upon 

 which the slanting rays of the sun shone in a way 

 to change the whole perspective. 



"I see now what you mean about a flower in its 

 haunt having a different poise, a different meaning 

 from a flower in the hand. You are quite right. 

 I can already feel the difference between the grow- 

 ing and the picked Lily, even though, at best, they 

 are rather wooden, unsympathetic flowers." 



"Not exactly wooden, though not sympathetic," 

 I urged. "Say decorative, pure and simple flowers 

 of the landscape; flowers that, when gathered, we 

 should arrange indoors, environed as nearly as possi- 

 ble with the light, shade, background and colors of 

 their homes. I think that this is the true secret 

 of the house use of wild flowers. If we cannot 

 touch them without their shrinking from us, if we 

 may not bring and retain even the faintest sugges- 

 tion of their surroundings with them, either in foli- 

 age, bark or moss, as in the case of Spring Beauty, 



