O you exhibit at your local flower 

 shows? It is rather thrilling, don't 

 you think? 

 'I recall the very first prize I ever won. 

 No blue ribbon winning horse could possibly 

 be as important to its owner as my blue rib- 

 bon basket of ferns, and gold, pink and blue 

 Columbines was to me. It was a charming 

 thing, but so modest and so inconspicuous 

 among the big and splendid exhibits that 

 surrounded it! 



That blue ribbon fired my ambition. I 

 made plans at once for many entries for the 

 Autumn show and oh, how I worked, and 

 how wonderful my garden was that Sum- 

 mer ! What an impetus my one blue ribbon 

 gave me ! 



When the Fall show came I was ready 

 for it. My impatience was almost unbear- 

 able. I feared a blighting frost. I was hate- 



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