AND HIS PLANT SCHOOL 115 



herself in the back of his buggy jogging along toward 

 Santa Rosa. The wood folk soon grew very sociable,^ for 

 they were all together in one great gunny sack(^ 



One said in rather an important way: "I'm going in 

 for purity. I'm going to have my dress made white, for 

 I heard him say so." 



"I'm going to help train the Eastern lilies," put in the 

 spotted tiger lily. 



"Well, all I want is to get rid of this puckery bitter- 

 ness," ventured Hopeful, "for people turn away from me 

 in disgust; and I can never do any good in my present 

 condition. I would try to grow more pulp but for that. 

 What is the use?" 



"It seems strange you speak of being so bitter when 

 you carry such a delightful fragrance with you," remarked 

 the wild geranium. 



"Oh, that's just it. They call me the incense shrub 

 because of my spicy odor; but when they taste my fruit 

 they cast it away quickly with, 'Bah, but it's bitter!" 



The currant did not see the speakers for a long time 

 / after this, for its class in the school was far removed from 

 them. But she held her fellow travellers in loving remem- \ 

 brance, hoping to meet with them again some day. 



The next morning after her arrival, as she was admiring 

 the pupil$ near her whoLseemed to be in her class, her eye 

 fell upon one quite close that was wonderfully like herself 

 in many ways. Upon inquiry she learned that it had been 



