Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-07-31


slightly sat in a corner, quiet as mouse,
but when he began to speak of the trop-
ical forests she drew near, and eagerly
drank in every word.
Now the Professor had noticed the
shy beautiful girl, and seeing the eager
ewes and parted lips he said:
"You are a lover of flowers, Miss
Amy?"
"0h, yes" and leaving the room she
returned with a vase holding one oddly
shaped but beautiful wild flower.
"Can you tell me the name of this?"
she asked. at is the first one of the
kind ever found, and no one can tell
me what it is"
"The orchis spectdbdis," said he
promptly, cor shopy Orchis." l con-
gratulate you, for this is rare find in
deed, the Orchids are wonderful where
ever found. One of the most beautiful
species is the "Holy Spirit Plant" of
Central America, which strikingly re-
sembles a dove with Outspread wings,
and which among the natives, is an OBJ
iect of superstitious reverence"
"Oh," said Amy, drawing deep
breath, show nice it must be to know
all the flowers by name."
at is" replied the Professor smiling
down into the eager eyes. ut is a great
pleasure to study the flowers, to find out
all their peculiarities and wonderful
adaptation to their surroundings. The
finding q rare flower, to the botanist, is
as great delight in its way as the dis
covery of a new star is to the astrono-
mer."
Nothing more was said about flowers
lust then, but as the visitors were pre-
pairing to start for home, Professor
Boyington fingered moment behind
the rest, and said to Amy. "Would
you like to study botany thissummer?"
"But, could r" she asked wonder
ingly.
"Certainly you can, and if you would
like to try, will lend you all the books
you need, and can give you all the help
you will require, which will be little, if
you bring plenty of patience and per-
severance to the work. l should like
very well to collect some flowers from
this part of the country, and we might
botanic together. Is it bargain?"
"Oh, yes indeed, but" she added timid-
ly, ''are you quite sure I should not be
a bother?"
"Quite sure" he replied with a cor
dial smile.
A few days latter came Professor
Boyington's compliments and 'Grey's
Botany Then followed happy days
for Amy. She entered into the new
study with all her enthusiastic little
soul, and all her spare hours were de-
voted to it. Even the beloved birds
were forgotten. The bobolinlz could
fly to her nest unseen, while her mate
perched undisturbed from the highest
branch of the swaying trees.
She studied her book so faithfully,
that she needed little help from her
teacher but he taught her how to make
a drying press with two thin boards, a
heavy stone and plenty Of newspapers,
for the girl ambitiously wanted to make
an herbarium. This was the most un-
interesting part, for the papers had to
be changed every day, till the speci-
mems were thoroughly dry. Mounting
the specimens on sheets of heavy white
paper came next but that was almost
as good as painting picture.
Many were the happy days spent in
the fields and woods, and Amy would
come home laden with enough word
treasure to keep her busy many days,
and parsing.
The days when Prof. Boyington
would go too were the best, for he was
so acquainted with Latin that he knew
the most secret hiding-places of her shy
children.
Though not young in years, this man
possessed one of those suave natures,
that seem to have found out the secret
of eternal youth, and can never grow
old in heart and soul, though Time may
have dimmed the eye and silvered the
once dark hair.
To him Amy's fresh, young life was a
real delight, and he enjoyed the COM
panionship of one so childlike, yet so
quick to see and comprehend.
She seemed to him not unlike flow
er herself. A perfect bud, unfolding
day by day, and drinking in freely of
the pure life of nature around her; fit
ting soul and body for happy whole
souled womanhood by and by.
But the days so full of pleasure to one
sister, were a source of annoyance to
the other.
1t was Kate's delight to have the
home in the most perfect order and
neatness, and it is no wonder she felt
irritated by finding baskets and dishes
of flowers, moss, ETC., whitening in var
ious convenient places, and scattering
their contents freely when touched.
Flowers in all stages of dissection lay
about chairs and tables, while very
absent minded little girl talked "petals,