May 26th 



OT many of us have guessed the 

 cunning mysteries of my trio of 

 secretive blooms nor truly merit- 

 ed their confidences. These are 

 the "painted-cup," the fringed 

 polygala, and the dwarf -ginseng. Yes, we 

 know them all; for have we not picked them 

 a hundred times, even though perhaps we 

 may not have known their names? They make 

 a pretty bouquet upon our mantel; but we lit- 

 tle imagine what a quiet frolic is going on there 

 at our expense. 



"Scarlet tufts 



Are glowing in the green like flakes of fire! 

 The wanderers of the prairie know them well, 

 And call that brilliant flower the ' painted -cup.' " 



Thus sings Bryant of this flower which is not a 



flower this glowing display which floods not only 



the Western prairie, but our low May meadows of the 



East, with " meadow fire," as it is sometimes called. 



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