THE COUNTRY HOME [chapter 



said Howd'y do to the dandelions. I hugged a big 

 mullen stalk, and just thanked it for coming up near 

 the door. Husband smiled, and bought me holly- 

 hock seed; and he let me help him plant corn. It 

 was a full year before I could settle down to making 

 much difference between weeds and useful things. 

 I think still that some of the weeds are the hand- 

 somest things in the world, and they must be use- 

 ful somehow, only we don't yet know how. 1 

 had to make a difference, because I found that the 

 beets and carrots could not be grown without being 

 'weeded.' Now I have some pinks and roses, and 

 a big clump of tiger lilies, and I have some lilacs 

 and syringas. But I still think the big thing is not 

 to go gallivanting all over creation to find rare 

 things and make your place stylish, but to be able 

 to see the sweet things right at home. So I have 

 been collecting out of our woods and swamps, and 

 have, oh, such a lot of fine things — ferns and 

 leatherwood, and witch hazel, and gentian and 

 lobelia, two beautiful orchids, seven kinds of 

 mint, and I thought you would understand me, 

 so I have written to you. I have no one who 

 quite understands me here, but my husband looks 

 on with sympathy and good nature.'* 



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