152 
FLOWERS OF THE SEASON 
There is something akin to waywardness in the 
habits of the wild flowers. They choose their 
favourite haunts, their quiet resting-places and open 
promenades, with apparent unconcern, but with re- 
markable fidelity and persistence. Their preferences 
seem most unreasonable, but that is the way of most 
preferences. Not only have they favourite climes and 
latitudes, favourite conditions and surroundings, but 
favourite nooks, ravines, ponds, and hillsides, where 
they are certain to be at home in due season to their 
intimate friends and admirers. The Twin-flower 
will often choose its own favourite shaded hillside, 
leaving the opposite slope to its more vigorous 
companion, the Partridge-berry. There they live their 
lives, responding to the spirit of the passing seasons, 
vivifying the spring, strengthening with the fruitful- 
ness of summer, and varying the pattern of the 
carpet of autumn leaves. Even through inhospitable 
mid-winter, under the dense covering of snow, their 
rich green leaves can still be found, full and healthy, 
an earnest of nature's perpetual youth. Gold is 
generally found where it is least expected ; but the 
floral treasures have their favourite haunts. Their 
