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TRADE'S NEWEST DAY 



BECOMING BIGGEST 



Though little more than a decade has passed since florists began push- 

 ing Mothers' day, the second Sunday in May has risen, in that short time, 

 to the first rank of the trade's business-bringing holidays. This year the 

 trade's preparations augur a better day than before. 



ever since. 



HEN was born that idea 

 which resulted in appoint- 

 ing a day of commemora- 

 tion for mothers is not defi- 

 nitely known. But it is 

 known that the idea was 

 first brought to light in 

 1908 and the day has been 

 growing in importance in a 

 surprisingly rapid manner 

 It ia one of our youngest 

 national holidays, yet the spirit that 

 prompted it is one that has caused its 

 quick and nation-wide acceptance. It is 

 a day founded on a deep, elemental love 

 that is as old as mankind. Dating back 

 as far as the earliest readable and un- 

 derstandable hieroglyphics, the Muses 

 have prompted the singing and writing 

 of praises to mothers. Poets, writers, 

 composers and singers, as far back as 

 history goes, have all brought into their 

 masterpieces the theme of mothers' love 

 and love for mothers. Long before there 



HOTHEBS' DAY. 

 A Tribute by J. Austin Shaw. 

 The beautiful hands of my mother dear, 

 At rest 'neath the daisies for many a year — 

 Strange, is it not, as the shadows grow 

 And the eventide gathers, they thrill me so? — 



Beautiful hands of the long ago. 

 Hands that so tenderly toiled, I know. 

 Tolled for me as my baby feet 

 Toddled along in the busy street, 



Toiled, as sped on the years of my youth, 

 Patiently pointing the path of truth. 

 Beautiful, soothing, soft, white hands, 

 Pain would vanish at their commands. 



Fears would scatter, and sorrow flee. 

 When those dear old hands were laid on me. 

 And those beautiful hands are as real to me. 

 After fifty years, as they used to be. 



And I feel the thrill of her presence now. 

 And I see her smile as my head I bow, 

 And my heart o'erflows, with the passing hours. 

 And I dream of her, as I "Say It with Flowers." 



was Christianity; long before there was 

 an America, an England, a France, or 

 any of their favorite national heroes; 

 long before the coming of any of the 

 events or persons who prompted the 



naming of special days to commemorate 

 them; long before any of these, there 

 were mothers. 



The foundation of Mothers' day is a 

 love that is indeed difficult to describe. 

 It is told in a poem that ends thus: 



Sir Leon paused, as if he would not breathe 

 her name in careless mood, thus lightly to 

 another. 



He bent his head, as if to give that word 

 the reverence due, and gently said, "My moth- 

 er." 



There, in the olden days, in the court 

 banquet hall, each and every knight 

 present gave a toast to the one he loved 

 the most. This knight, the bravest, the 

 most highly respected and the best loved 

 knight in the hall, gave his toast to his 

 mother. That deep, profound love for a 

 mother which Sir Leon showed has not 

 been at all dimmed by the passing of 

 the centuries. Today the love for mother 

 is as strong as, or even stronger than, in 

 those days. That deep, underlying love 

 and respect which that knight showed 

 and which has been accentuated during 





V TELEGRAPH 



SELECTING FLOWERS FOR MOTHER 



is easy, for any variety is appropriate and she loves them all. 



For Mothers Living, a flower bright — 

 For Mothers Memory, a flower white. 



Sunday, May 9th, Is Mothers' Day you will not forget -sunday, may ninth 



These Advertisements Made Last Mothers* Day an Extraordinarily Busy Occasion in Milwaukee. 



