A VISIT TO LUTE EE BURBANK 



77 



pose as ^'Patience on a monument smil- 

 ing at Grief* whenever her plants proved 

 wayward or recalcitrant in their growth. 

 ^•'Xot so/' hastily interposed Mr. Bnr- 

 bank; "my patience is exercised only 

 along certain lines — patience and pro- 

 gress travel hand in hand — when I see 

 that the yonng plants are thrifty, pos- 

 sessing great potentialities. Otherwise 

 I exterminate with a rnthless hand."' Bnt 

 who has the intuition of a Burbank ! 



Hastily removing the obnoxious hose 

 and escorting us over the dry lawn and 

 past the dripping walk, he kindly invited 

 us to help ourselves to some sweet peas 

 clambering over the gate-posts, "Although 

 there was nothing rare/' he remarked, 



with proverbial honesty. We busied our- 

 selves accordingly, comparing notes mean- 

 Avhile as to the "open Sesame" which had 

 admitted us to the enchanted gTounds. 

 My companion maintained that courtesy, 

 simplicity and kindness are characteristics 

 the world over of the genuinely great, to 

 their fellowmen in all stations of life — 

 while I, I claimed that it was the tableau 

 from the open window of the hose, the 

 '"walk'' and the lawn, which is the same 

 thing in the long run. She took the valu- 

 able verbena with her to the city, where 

 for many days it was the cynosure of all 

 eyes, while I, I ate my Burbank potatoes 

 that evening with an added relish and 

 respect. 



THE BURBANK COTTAGE AT SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA 



