THE FLOWERS 



the petals have faded and rub the centre to a 

 powder. Held to the nose, this so titillates 

 the tissues of the olfactories that a violent fit 

 of sneezing ensues. I well remember how I 

 once braved paternal wrath by taking a pocket- 

 ful of it to church, and distributing it slyly 

 among as many children as I could communi- 

 cate with before services began, with the under- 

 standing that it was to be scattered under the 

 pews just before the benediction was pro- 

 nounced. So faithfully were instructions car- 

 ried out, that before the "amen" was said the 

 entire congregation was sneezing as if a most 

 aggravated form of influenza had suddenly 

 descended upon it, and I was experiencing a 

 delight balanced by a dread of consequences 

 in case my wickedness were discovered as it 

 was. 



In the home garden we have but few flowers 

 that bloom after frost comes. These are the 

 Asters, the hardier Chrysanthemums, the Hy- 

 drangea, the Pansy, the perennial Phlox, and 

 the Japan Anemone. These continue to show 

 a brave face to the on-coming Winter until he 

 is actually upon them and has them in his icy 

 clutch. The Dahlia, the Canna, and the Cos- 

 mos help to make bright the early fall, but 



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