Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-31
TOM MEADE.

cASo onN SlIouS iOI Ills aye. Ills ClIeC
brothers are young men, but his only
sister, Gracie, Is not yet eleven years
old.
Oracle and Tom go to school together
in the autumn and winter, but in the be-
ginning of June every year they go to the
farm OF their uncle, Mr.. John Meade,
near the city of Frederick, which is also
in Maryland. Uncle Johu is not only
farmer, but he is also what IS called
nurseryman, or q man who raises young
trees and plants to sell.
1t was always such a surprise to the
children when they would visit their
uncle for day or two during the winter.
to see a house full of flowers in bloom,
and of leaves that were as green as the
leaves Of summer time.
Indeed they fell in love with flowers,
and their mother took great pains to
make them interested in cultivating
them. So when Oracle and Tom went
to Uncle Johns few weeks ago, to spend
the summer, Uncle John gave them each
corner of his garden.
The little gardens were easy to attend
to, and as the children watered their
plants every night, the plants were soon
in thriving condition.
Gracie's pets were geraniums, of which
she had many XII DIS and co,ors. Tom was
fond of roses, tuschias aud verbenas, and
he sent number of letters to his mother
about them.
"Uncle," said Tom, one day in the lat
fer part of June, Il was reading in life
of General Washington this morning,
about the way his father once spelled the
name of George Washington in letters
made Of plants. Don't you think that
was funny ideas''
Eyes, it was,' replied Uncle John,
"but was easy enough to do, and if you
would like to try the same thing, I've no
doubt you'll succeed, just as Washing
tons father did,
''But can't spell Gracie's name in
flowers in her garden?' continued Tom.
the Williams boys in, and have regular
surprise. 1t would be as good as a pic
nic''
Uncle John agreed that it would be
very nice if the flowers could be made tn
grow quickly, but flowers are creatures
of sunshine and rain.
He said, however, that Tom might
have all the flowers from the dollhouse
he wanted, which pleased Tom, because
such permission was exactly what ne
wanted. He told Uncle john not to say
word TO Oracle about the scheme, for
he wanted Oracle to be surprised as well
as the other children in the neighbor-
hood.
AS Tom thought over his scheme in
bed that night, he concluded to have ev-
erything ready by the morning of the
Fourth of July, and on that day to have
regular garden party.
He went to the dollhouse alone as soon
as he had eaten his breakfast, and exam
med the flowers that looked as though
they would blossom On the Fourth.
He saw that by placing number OF
vel benas of different colors into small
pots, he could sink the pots into the soil
of Gracie's garden, and so spell whatever
words he pleased.
AS the Fourth drew near, the verbenas
began to bloom sure enough, and by the
first of July, the ones he had selected
were in tuil flower.
Yes said Tom to himself, as he
TODD and looked at the verbenas, ''here
they are-white verbenas, red verbenas,
blue verbenas-ju st what wanted-red,
white and blue"
On the evening of the third of July,
after Oracle had watered her garden,
Tom took several basket loads of VERDE
ma pots from the dollhouse to the garden
and set to work.
AS his plan had all been thought out,
the work was easy to do, and having sent
his invitations around, Tom fell to sleep
a very happy boy.
on the morning of the Fourth, they made
jolly party. Tom led the way to the
garden, saying that he had something 10
show everybody, and Uncle John and
Aunt Mary walked behind.
AS Gracie's eyes fel. upon the wonder
ull letters, that looked as though they
had sprung up in one night, her breath
was almost taken away. She didn't say
word at first, but like her playmates
stood still and looked and looked.
Chow IN the world did you do that,
Tom," said Horace Williams. "Just
look here, Mr.. Meade. Tom has spelled
out Fourth of July in red, white and
blue flowers. Sure enough. There
were the letters growing out of the ground.
each letter being made of several VERDE
mas put together in order like the follow
ing
FOURTH OF JULY-1S80
The letters, six in number, which COM
posed the word "Fourth" were in red
flowers, and the two little letters of the
word ''of" were in white flowers. and the
four letters of the word July were in
blue flowers. The matter of arranging
the colors was not hard to do, as VERDE
nj as are of many. The figures 1880"
were IN pink. But while the visitors
were looking at the "Fourth of July"
motto, Tom was watching Oracle. Ora
cie's eyes had found something of inter-
est in another part of the garden, and
she was looking that way.
"See'' said Oracle, after awhile,
"there'a my name spelled in geran1ums."
Running over to the spot az which
Oracle had pointed, the children saw the
following pink letters:
"GRAcIE."
Everybody admired the geranlums
very much, and soon afterward everybody
had good laugh, when Tom showed
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