MY GARDEN ACCOUNTED FOR. 29 



mother, through years of pain and weakness, 

 found sweet solace and unfailing enjoyment in 

 her flowers ; when I see my father at an age 

 when to most life is a burden, entering upon the 

 new campaign of the season with all the zest of 

 youth, I feel assured that here is a pleasure that 

 will not satiate and pall upon the taste. And 

 this conviction has been confirmed by much 

 observation. With few exceptions, the mellow 

 and agreeable ladies of my acquaintance are 

 fond of the culture of flowers. When I see a 

 window green with plants, or a porch interlaced 

 with vines and flanked by flower-beds, I am 

 satisfied that there is nothing acid or sharp- 

 set about the lady of the house, and that she 

 sueetens her domestic circle like the lump 

 of sugar that the old Dutch dames suspended 

 over their tables for their guests or family 

 to nibble at while they sipped the then rare 

 beverage of tea. Men whose hobbies are 



