St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-20
THE GREAT WHITE FACE

VI LD0 NlOOuuONcF may DO q
Cheerful Setting for the Home.
Special Letter to the Globe
FOUNTAIN, Mimi, Sept. 6.-And the
''moOnflower" has uncovered it's great
white face, and stared at the new moon
and the sleeping world all night long,
until the sun peeped into its plate-like
face, and then, like others of its kindred
race, it curled itself into ball at the
end of its long tube and Withered away.
1t has done this same thing again and
again. Certainly the ''mo0nfiower'' is
curiosity, and has beauty of its own,
despite it's nocturnal habit of waiting
until after darkness reignS before show
ing its mOsn face. and staring at that
orb until it disappears beyond the West
ern hills.
The leaves of this plant sunburn if
kept upon the south side of house,
and seem to require shading in great
measure from the noOntide sun. The
plant requires heat, and it may flourish
on the westward side of building as
we'll as on the south. AS mine was left
in the large vase in which it is kept
during the winter it was no trouble to
change its place from the south side of
the house to the west side, and the
change proved to be successful in that
respect, as the leaves and vine improved
at once and lost their yellow appear
ance, becoming very healthy-lOoking
green, which is so desirable in all plants.
Any one that desires this vine should
obtain it early in the fall and plant
carefully in large vase or flower pot.
and keep where no frost will reach it,
with just sufficient moisture to keep it
from drying up and no more. l have
kept mine in bedroom on the north
side of the house, and opening into the
sitting room where my plants are kept,
a stove in the room keeps the frost out
of both rooms, although the fire is not
replenished during the night-also burn
wood entirely.
The soil is from among the hazel bushes
along the roadside, and is what flor
lists call fibrous soil, heated sufficiently
to kill any bugs. worms or eggs of such
things in the soil before using it.
l think l have given all the informa-
ton that is required in the cultivation
of this plant, so that those who have
written to know all about it can attain
it and successfully grow it In the man
ner1 have given.
1t is no trouble to give this informa-
ton. for | am so fond of flowers that l
want to see or know that every home in
this state is surrounded by Towering
trees or shrubs and perennial flowers.
with every window in the house full OF
them continually, and any question
about their cultivation is not considered
ian impertinance or offensive" in any
manner.
Again, how shall we acquire the
knowledge of any subject if we do not
seek it? We may look and ask those
around US, but the books and papers do
not tell us just what we want to know,
and every acquaintance we have is just
as ignorant of the subject that
we are pursuing, so that we
must ask it somewhere outside
of our surroundings. for we are
here to live and learn all that is in our
power to acquire of all things this earth
contains that is good. We never can
gain any knowledge if we do not look
for it, and where life is so short, and
there is so much to learn, that we must
improve every opening that presents
itself to us at all times. Mothers, in par
ticular. should interest their children in
this work OF growing flowers, and en-
courage them to preSevere In 1t, and they
will find in time they will be so interest
ed in their flowers, they will not think
lage at play with other chlldren-lear n
ing what?
Give the children a place and the
seeds to plant, and do not grudge the
money required to obtain the seeds, nor
the time you must give in showing them
how to care for the plants, as you may
at the same time teach them a lesson in
morality and good behavior, and keep
them out of the streets, away from
young companions that you do not want
them to associate with, by showing an
interest in their affairs and all that per-
tains to their happiness in childhood,
youth and old age. And, ''tired moth
err" you are not the only tired mother
that lives and tolls for ungrateful chill
dren, with breaking heart, for there
are many such mothers who see too late
wherein they have failed to do their
duty to their children, and tired mothers
will be found when you and are gone.
1t is no excuse for any mother to say
her children are no worse than other
children, for the one thing needful is to
see to it that their children will do right,
and not say they will do better when
they grow older, for lust as the twig is
bent the tree is inclined" and so will
our children if at all neglected; aud we
have to bear the blame of it all because
we did not train them Alright, and often
after all that tired mother has done to
guide her children Alright, the ''old
ADAM that is in them starts them on
the wrong way in life. and all our toll
and labor has been in vain-perhaps
not. There may come time when tired
and grieving mothers are lying low
down on the hill side, when their chill
dren may awaken to see what they have
done and how widely they have strayed
from weary mothers counsel and low
ing care. Oh "tired mothers" and
''sorrowiug Mothers" our Good Father
doeth all things well, and let us hope
fold in His own good time.
Mrs. MARTHA CRANDALL.