296 THE DRAPERY OF VINES 



thing else, which, as I 've observed, likewise often 

 happens with folks. I reckon there 's reason and 

 intention in it, for we could n't get along with- 

 out vines ter take the shiftless look out o' old rail 

 fences, trim up dead trees, and sort o' pull together 

 things that 's all howsome, any more 'n we could 

 do without the leanin' sort o' folks that 's to be 

 found in most families. Outdoors would be mighty 

 lonesome if the woods was all made o' straight 

 Poplars. 



"Now you'd nat' rally allow leanin' and hangin' 

 on was a mighty simple thing to do, but when 

 you reckon up the different ways they have o' 

 doin' it, 't is n't far to believin' that vines can move 

 and think things out somehow, for many on 'em 

 acts good-intentioned and others pesky, same as 

 folks. 



"Some vines jest lay flat on the ground, and sort 

 o' trail along, havin' no ambition to go far, and the 

 stem gets covered with dirt so you 'd scarcely know 

 it for a vine, like Arbutus and Twin Flowers, Pa'- 

 tridge Vine and Ground Pine. Others sends up 

 long branches that grow quick and seem to sort o' 

 feel round uneasy until they touch something to lay 

 hold on. Then they 're up and off sky-high, twist- 

 ing themselves round and round, and climbing like 



