100 THE FIELD AND THE GARDEN. 



heartily without saying a word more than I felt. They 

 were dotted about her grounds with great irregularity, not 

 because the old lady had any of the prevailing affectation 

 for what is termed picturesque arrangement, but wherever 

 a seed had come up, there she allowed it to grow without 

 molestation. There was an air of rustic cheerfulness about 

 these sunflowers that captivated my sight, and made me 

 at the time a true convert to the views of my entertainer. 

 This celebrated flower, which was dedicated to the sun, 

 because it was made in the image of that deity, — the 

 flower which was produced by the transformation of 

 Clytie, and, still retaining her passion, is supposed to 

 turn itself constantly toward his beams, — had found a mod- 

 ern admirer in my hostess. Though its colors are neither 

 various nor beautiful, there is a halo of divinity in the 

 border of petals surrounding the disk of the flower, and 

 a look that reminds me of those charitable and honest 

 people who live to do good. We shall perceive this anal- 

 ogy when we consider that the sunflower possesses many 

 economical properties, and that, after the beauty of its 

 prime is faded, it scatters abroad its seeds, and supplies a 

 repast for many famishing birds. The good dame appre- 

 ciated these frugal habits in her sunflowers, and fed her 

 poultry in the autumn with their seeds. 



While commenting on the beauties of the various occu- 

 pants of her garden, she made an apology for the weeds 

 which had overgrown and concealed many of her favorite 

 flowers ; her duties as a housekeeper had not left her time 

 enough to be a good supervisor of her plants. I remarked 

 that weeds are an important addition to a flower-garden ; 

 that they cause it to resemble the wilds of Nature, who 

 is not careful to destroy weeds, but seems as desirous to 

 protect them as the most beautiful lilies or daisies. It is 

 pleasant when strolling in a garden to feel as if we were 

 making discoveries, by gaining perhaps the first sight of a 



