jio Old Time Gardens 



so fine a word as well as color that it is annoying 

 to hear the poets change it to crimson. 



This regard of and aversion to the Poppy lingered 

 among elderly folks till our own day ; and I well 

 recall the horror of a visitor of antique years in our 

 mother's garden during our childhood, when we 

 were found cheerfully eating Poppy seeds. She 

 viewed us with openly expressed apprehension that 



" Black Heart, Amorous Poppies." 



we would fall into a stupor ; and quite terrified us 

 and our relatives, in spite of our assertions that we 

 " always ate them," which indeed we always did and 

 do to this day ; and very pleasant of taste they are, 

 and of absolutely no effect, and not at all of evil 

 smell to our present fancy, either in blossom or seed, 

 though distinctly medicinal in odor. 



Returned missionaries were frequent and honored 

 visitors in our town and our house in those days ; 

 and one of these good men reassured us and rein- 



