AMOXG THE FLOWERS ]yiTH REXFORD 



239 



THE GARDEN AT THE CAREY (OHIO) POSTOFFICE 

 (This garden is kept up by Mrs. H. P. Fetter who lives over the postoftice. The officials are very proud of it.) 



THE LEGEXD OF THE CAEDIXAL ELOWER 



By E. M. Barrett 



THIS tall, stately plant is a member 

 of the Lobelia family, and the long 

 racemes of cardinal flowers are found 

 glowing in all the low wet places in the 

 Southern states, during the Indian sum- 

 mer. 



The cardinal flower has a legend as sad 

 and pathetic as the melancholy days could 

 suggest. The story of Hiawatha, as told 

 by Longfellow, is one of meekness, and 

 gentleness, and sorrow, and troubles. "The 

 good are only better made by ill, as odors 

 crushed are sweeter still." But there was 

 another Hiawatha who also loved and lost, 

 but was not made better thereby. On 



the contrary, he was so bitter toward the 

 great spirit who had robbed him of his 

 Minnehaha that he went about shooting 

 all the beautiful maidens he could find. 

 One day he slept near a running brook. 

 On waking lie saw a lovely maiden plaiting 

 her jet black tresses as she sang to her 

 reflection in the water. The sight only 

 caused the glowing anger of his heart to 

 burst into flame. He raised his bow and 

 sent an arrow to her heart. The deed was 

 so shocking that even the placid bosom of 

 mother earth was moved and she caused 

 every drop of blood to spring up as a car- 

 dinal flower. 



