AN INSPIRING WEED. 21 



the pathways and on the slopes of old pastures, 

 is full of elasticity. It is not a true grass but 

 a rush and, after being trodden upon by man 

 or beast, its stems when released, spring erect, 

 apparently unharmed, their loose panicles of 

 flowers or seeds waving as gracefully in the air 

 as though they had not just stooped to kiss old 

 mother earth. It is this property of elasticity, 

 of upspringing after adversity, which enables 

 this plant to thrive along the pathways. The 

 stems of the blue-grass remain down when trod- 

 den upon but the wire-grass, like truth, once 

 "crushed to earth, doth rise again." Its spirit 

 is not broken, its power of growth scarcely re- 

 tarded, by being often beneath the heel of man. 

 Being therefore successful where other plants 

 would perish, it is one of the worthy and in- 

 spiring members of earth's lowly forms. 



Yesterday a crippled bumble-bee was noted 

 crawling rapidly over the ground in the old 

 farm yard. Several hens from a distance saw 

 it moving and immediately ran up thinking a 

 good mouthful of food was at hand. However, 

 not one of them would even deign to peck at 

 the bee, but turning their heads sideways gazed 

 down at it, a knowing look in their eyes and a 

 chuckle in their throats. Was it inherited 

 knowledge or had the mother hen taught them 

 in some way when they were young that live 



