Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-02-29
Ra0ies'
Mrs. M. E. aoRMAN, Edfttess.
Ths Season Of Flowers,

The earth is passing from under the harsh
reign Of winter, in this latitude, and soon the
season Of flowers will be upon us. 1t is time
that our lady readers had made the necessary
provisions for their flower gardens. Many
a light-hearted maiden, not doomed to the
harsh task Of severe labor, signs for relief
from her surfcit Of leisure, and often asks,
"What shall ! do for employment !? 1t is
rather a strange question for q woman to ask,
and equally so for the young, sprightly girl,
who has closed up her school days. Employ
ment is the proper element for all persons,
and especially for woman. 1t seems to be
her true sphere. Vicious, %callous, worthless
men may lounge and roll in idleness, but wo-
men find always something useful, innocent
and profitable to be taken up with. Most Of
their employments however are within doors.
Society seems to demand this. Hence SO
many Of them arc doomed to be the wearers
Of blanchcd cheeks, to move with an ~inelastic
step, to pine under the rayages Of dyspepsia
or Consumption, or pass years ofsufiering with
headache and other nervous disorders. Now,
the garIen, either the vegetable or flower
garden. and espociaIlv-lbf rnrrrrT
vefsdr panacVa urukssE disorders among wo-
men. They need, a portion of each day, the
fresh open mir, the rays Of a healthy sun, and
the invigorating manual labors Of the flower
garden, TO give vigor TO their systems and
elasticity and checrfulness to their spirits.
"Must | use the hoe and rake-mus. | trim
the branches and give direction to the vine
must these fingers Of mine encounter the
thorns and briers, and must / dig about
the tender plants p Yes dear Miss, your
hands were made to work, and to you espe-
cially seems committed the innocent and de.
lightful task Of rearing the beautiful flow.
crs, which a kind Providence has given you
to gladden. your. eyes and to send out their
fragrance upon the balmy air. Yes, come
out from your gloomy rotreats-leave your
novels and rocking chairs, your sofas anC
pianos, and your dreamy hours for the nonce
shine upon you and His breezes fan you
while you spend an hour in the flower gar
den to dress and prepare It, before the burst
ing buds fling out their beauties and thei
sweetness to the view.
You will find no employment more bene
fetal than this. However small the plot @
ground you can appropriate to this purpose
let it be neatly arranged and well stocke
with the most beautiful and fragrant shrub
and flowers you can command. We don
ask you to lavish money upon it extravagani
ly, but let it be generously sustained an
diligently nurtured and cultivated.
You love flowers don't But you wi
never prize any so much as your own, an
especially those nurtured by your own hand,
Your flower garden will afford you healthfi
exercise and recreation. The bright, ga
flowers will impart TO you their own chez
%fulness, and their sweetness will be impres
-l-rvn your own conntenarfce and tempe
Avoid a paseioa for flowers, cultivate the
for their own beauty and for the wholesor
influence they win have upon your own mi
and body and while you admire their To-
illness, you will be led from mature up to
1urC's Cod