The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-07-18
FRAGRANT FLOWERS.
Is the Subject Taken by Arp for
His Letter.
Natures beautiful Blooms-How They
Decorate tho Houses of tho Peo-
ple-The Georgia PHILOSOPHERS
Grows Sentimental

/ am not lingu1st, Dut nave pcch
told there is no language but ours that
has a word or expression signifylng
"home" in the sweet, sentimental mean
| ing that we attach to it. There are
words enough that mean a dwelling
house, an abiding place, but home has
a broader compass and includes all the
emotional surroundings-the garden,
the well, with it's old oaken bucket, or
| the crystal spring ut the foot of the hill
the vines over the door and on the
lattice-thc shade trees, the landscape
view from the window, the cradle and
the old armchair; the clock on the man.
tic, the pictures on the walls. the faith
full watch dog, the playful kitten, and
even the crickets' chirrup on the hearth.
But more than all these are the loved
ones who meet us and greet us at the
| threshold.
The wise man tells us of the time when
man goeth to his long home and the
mourncrs go about the streets. Our
home here is very brief, we know, but
il is the dearest spot on earth, and
| should be loved and cherished by every
4
| or returns within them to rest from the
| cares of busy world. 1t is one of my
constant regrets that there are so many
good people in this great big world who
| have no home-not an acre on Gods
| green earth they can call their own. 1t
every family had a home the children
would grow up better citizens, better
| patriots; the parents would hold up
| their heads and be thankful to God for
His blessings. The good wife and daugh-
tiers would treasure the vines they
| planted, and the flowers they grew in
the front yard-fowers that are the
smiles of God upon sin-cursed world.
The poet says:
| "The world has nothing to bestow:
| From our own selves our joys must flow,
| And that dear place-'our home.
| 1 was Eliminating about these things
as sat in my veranda in the shadow OF
madeira and cinnamon vines that by
day and by night are climbing higher
and higher, charging and unfolding
| their tender leaves that will soon cover
| the trellice. / love to watch their daily
progress. l built the framework for
these vines and am proud of 1t, even
though my wife did boss the job and
Inc, too. Twas she who made me set
the posts out two feet from the edge OF
| the veranda floor and brace them to
the top of the columns. Twas she who
| suggested canes from the cane brake
long canes that were stuck in the
ground and their tops cut even and fas-
tened to the crossbar. These canes are
| just one foot apart and are interlaced
with horizontal canes, also foot apart,
and the basket work keeps the whole
fabric good and strong. Strong and
vigorous vines have already climbed and
twined around every cane, but she said
there must be windows in the lattice,
so that we could sit in our chairs and
see the trains go by and the carriages
and bicycles and funeral professions
| and picnic parties and the children go
ing to school and look at our neighbors
who live across the way. So there is a
space of three feet where the vines
cling close to the perpendicular poles,
but are not allowed. to send out any
horizontal shoots. This gives us ample
vision of the outer world, and sit daily
there in my big armchair and rest my
feet upon the railing and ruminate upon
life with it's blessings and am thankful
that / live.
just a word about that railing. 1t
used to be about three feet high and
studded with upright balusters, the top
rail too high and the bottom one too low
for a good foot rest. So when bought
the property the first thing did was to
reform the long veranda. 1t cost but a
trifie to take out the upright pieces and
lower the top rail and run a middle one
and then put short square pieces be-
| tween them and alternate them like a
road to Jericho. This makes the cheap
est and most comfortable railing in the
world, and gives an old man choice OF
| three elevations for his feet and gives
| a modest woman choice of two. l have
| already observed in my brief life that
there are two classes of people who like
to elevate their pedal extremities when
! in q state of innocuous desuetude-old
men and lazy lawyers. Old age is ex-
cusable, for his legs are tired, especial
" when his corporosity increases with
advancing years, or he is bossed around
the flower garden by his loving wife;
the average lawyer is excusable, too, !
suppose, for it is the brain that quickens
the flow of blood to the extremities, and
If the brain has nothing to work on-no
cases, no clients-the legs get sleepy
and must have rest.
can tell town loafer's age pretty
well by his posture when seated. An
old, confirmed loafer wants two chairs,
one to rest his feet upon. If he is
lawyer he prefers table.
But am of the subject again. Twas
thinking about the flowers-the new
and beautiful flowers that Mrs. Arp got
from Mr.. Berckman-these cannas that
are so gorgeously lovely and are now
blooming into beauty. We had some
yellow ones before, but now have other
colors that are brilliant and attractive.
/ decorated my vegetable garden last
year with sun flowers, but don't think
nv wife fancied them. She said they
made her eyes tired, but she is delighted
with the crimson and orange and varie-
gated cannas and her Mareschal Neil
roses and carnation pinks. She wants
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