HOW THE RAIN CAME 



1 HE Spirant hes gracilis is commonly 

 called ladies' tresses, which is a very 

 polite name for it, for nothing can be 

 more beautiful than the tresses of ladies. 

 It is like its name in that it is beauti- 

 ful, but not otherwise, for it is a flower 

 not of tresses, but of fine eyelashes of 

 pearl set in a spiral on jade. The rain 

 this morning dropped transparent, color- 

 less pearl tears on the tips of these eye- 

 lashes, and as they twinkled toward shy 

 smiles the tears ran down the spiral to 

 be eagerly kissed away by the small 

 grasses that always cling about the feet 

 of the spiranthes in mute adoration. 



Near by slender varieties of gerardia 

 held up rosy cups to drink these clear 

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