mother's dead arms, kept you from freez- 

 ing during the cold winter months and 

 prepared for you this nice loose furrow 

 in which to grow had a right to plant 

 you where He wisjied and to do with 

 you what He thinks best. As for 'grow- 

 ing room,' there is likely to be plenty of 

 it within a few days for all those who 

 have the good fortune to be here." At 

 this there was a rustle of surprise among 

 the bystanders and they asked what she 

 meant. 



''I remember mother telling about her 

 early life," continued seed number Two, 

 ''how at first she and her companions 

 were so crowded together that some lost 

 all their beautiful green color and be- 

 came white and sickly. But one day a 

 girl, with a bucket on her arm and a 

 knife in her hand, came and sat down 

 near them. They all held their breath, 

 not knowing what she intended to do. 

 Then the girl took the knife and, catch- 

 , ing a number of mother's companions by 

 the leaves, cut them off just below their 

 bud. This she continued to do until her 

 bucket was full. When she left there 

 was plenty of room for those remaining 

 to grow, but their hearts were sad and 

 anxious. 



"Each day the girl came back to some 

 portion of the bed and acted in the same 

 manner until the bunches were so scat- 

 tering that the leaves did not touch each 

 other. Each time mother expected that 

 she would be one of the number and be 

 cut off from the life she loved and in 

 which she was hoping to redeem her 

 promise to bear seeds for Mother Nature. 

 Finally she and her companions began 

 to notice that the girl always chose the 

 largest and freshest looking bunches. 

 Then some of them began to say : 'What 

 is the use of us trying our best to grow 

 strong and vigorous? That very ftate 

 endangers our lives. Mother Nature 

 surely did not understand these surround- 

 ings when she exacted this promise from 

 us !' One bold, rebelHous spirit said : T 

 am going to have my roots stop their 

 work that my leaves may turn yellow 

 and brown ; and then T will get the wind 

 to split and break them.' 'But,' said 

 mother, 'that will be death.' 



" 'Well, what does it matter? I would 

 as lief die one way as another,' gruffly 

 responded the bold speaker. 



"Most of mother's companions nodded 

 their assent, so she said nothing more un- 

 til she had time to quietly think over the 

 matter. That night mother stood, awake, 

 looking up at the stars and trying to know 

 what was best to do. Finally, when the 

 first whispers of morning could be heard, 

 they brought her this message : 'Always 

 and under all circumstances do your best. 

 Live up to the highest and noblest with- 

 in you and leave the result to Him who 

 knows the heart.' 



"Then there came peace and courage, 

 and mother rose above the fear of death 

 and resolved that she would not relax 

 one effort to grow and carry out in detail 

 the promise she had given. She was con- 

 vinced that Mother Nature wanted her 

 best each day rather than a mere exis- 

 tence in order that she might bear some 

 puny seeds. 



"Several days went by and the girl did 

 not appear. The contrast became greater 

 and greater between mother and her com- 

 panions. She stood erect, holding her 

 broad green leaves up to the sun, while 

 in the midst of them could be seen a 

 young, vigorous seed stalk crowned with 

 the precious promises of the future. The 

 leaves of her companions were fast turn- 

 ing yellow and brown and their whole 

 attitude was dejected and forlorn. 



"One day they heard voices in the gar- 

 den. They thought this must be the girl 

 coming to fill her bucket. All eyes were 

 turned toward mother. They felt sure 

 she would be the first chosen. But 

 mother was calm and possessed, rejoic- 

 ing in the knowledge that she had lived 

 up to her higher duties and therefore 

 was better prepared to either be cut down 

 or left standing as fate would decide. 



"As the voices came nearer they recog- 

 nized the owner of the garden and with 

 her John, who had always been their 

 good friend, pulling up the weeds and 

 loosening the soil around their roots. The 

 owner and John were soon standing be- 

 side the bed where mother and her com- 

 panions grew, and then the voice of the 

 woman could be heard saying : 'John, this 

 bed is doing no good. The season is 

 about over, anyway, so you can spade it 

 up and sow it to early turnips. But look !' 

 and the woman stooped and touched 

 mother's crisp leaves. 'Isn't this a beau- 

 tiful specimen of fine letuce? John, you 



103 



