Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-09

on the terrace a little water BIRCH gilded
on every twig and branch and line with
red glow of flame; or, down by the river,
the purple shadows on the water ripple up
with each little wave and lap the grasses
on the banks-the long, low stretches of
sedges are half hidden in the purple haze,
the blue hills across the river and the monu-
ment are softening to the same twilight
tints On rainy, misty evening the War,
State and Navy Department looks it's best.
Then the shadows conceal the little windows
and Insignificant pillars, and the massive
outlines of the building have their rightful
dignity. The Capitol looks we'll in glazing
sunshine or in shade, by moonlight, sunrise
or sunset, among clouds or rising, shining
white, against clear sky.
There is an cid Persian proverb that only
he who loves roses can grow them success
FULLY. There must be a love between the
flowers and the colored folks-Derhaps there
are certain qualities of naturalness and SIM
pllc1ty that endear the race to the flowers
Certain It is that from the first timid little
cTocus 10 the last gay, ragged dandy of a
chrysanthemum, there are no finer blossoms
than those grown around the little frame
houses where dwell the darker parts of our
population. VioletS run riot in the grass la
france beauties-proud as they are-groW
merrlly in the humble little gardens in beds
marked off with oyster shells and crowded
with primroses wall flowers, petunias and
geranlumS. Red roses Chamber all over the
porches and fences, lilacs do homage with
splendid clusters, and lilies cannot grow
thlck and fast enough they are so ANXIOUS
IN May some of the gardens along our
streets are wonderfully bedecked.
Gaudily Bedecked.
1t is a whimsical, half pathetic sight to
see the sorry old cart horses with the most
detected tails and the toughest coats all
trlcked out in the fairy blossoms of the
pear tree The flowers are so typical of
4
ally such miserable looking beast 1t is
no unusual sight. though, to see them
garlanded with flowers. The darby dresses
his horse UP gaily and salles forth to haul
dirt with loud shout and a certain carni-
val spirit that seems to animate the beast
a bit, which will try to frisk and prance in
spite of his stiff joints. The darky loves
to decorate his steed. Every gala day
there Is a brave display of flags al the
creatures ears, and bits of jangling brass
tig red tassels, plumes, ribbons-any bit
of bright tinery that comes into his posses
sion or that his lady folks will let him
have, goes Oh the horse Perhaps it is an
indication of his warm southern blood
this love for colors, decorative effects and
gayety If he could he would hang rugs
out over his balconies, Irvine rose wreaths
around pillars end float many col
cred pennants on his towers-if he had
rugs and balconies and pillars and towers.
In the White House Grounds.
The lilacs are nodding over the walls and
lilies Of the valley are Hinging little fleet
ing whiffs of fragrance out into the streets,
roses are all budding, and the feur de lis
is about to put out it's banners, purple and
white and brown. Sweet pea seeds have
been planted long ago and are an inch or
so high already, and pansies are being set
out in many gardens. The pansies in the
White House gardens are always very fine
and worth special trip to see. There is
usually border along the north wall of
the conservatory crowded thick with them
"a delight to lovers of the quaint blossoms.
In the White House grounds. near the
east gate, is group of fine lilacs. They
seem to have double clusters, and are
wee bit handsomer than the ordinary BIOS
SONS, but not whit more lovable. Also
near the same gate is peach tree that
bears double blossoms that are not in the
least prettier than the single ones-if they
be so pretty. Near the west gate is a small
dogwcod that bears pink blossoms quite IN
like the ordinary ones and very pretty. In
Franklin Park are two beautiful blossom
ing trees-an apple and pear with double
fiowers-fowers that are like tiny roses and
wonderfully fine.
Out in the Woods.
Out in the woods a host of flowers are in
full spring celebration. The dogwood has
spread it's white tents" on the edges of
the forest, the dandelion is "fringing the
dusty road with it's harmless gold" the
cinquefoil is threading the grass with yell
low blossoms, and the gold of the butter
cup is beginning to CLINT in the fields. A
daisy or two has ventured forth, but their
time is not yet. The spring beauties are
painting the meadows with delight" they
blossom up the hill and down again, cluster
all pink and white around the roots of a
great beech tree, contrasting most prettly
with the fine gray trunk; they run down the
banks to the very edge of the stream, and
carry their dainty colors everywhere
through the woods. The bloodroots seem
unusually large and snowy this year. They
few stragglers will go way out to the edge
of the road and occasionally a little bud
will grow far away from the others, but
will be too lonesome to blossom.
At the Zoo.
Jacks-in-the-p pulpit a plant that the chill
dren love, are preaching away to the flow
ers out at the Zoo. One little fellow has
found a withered brown oak leaf right
over the place where he wanted to grow
The leaf would not move nor be pushed
aside, SO the Jack-in-the- pulpit bud stuck
It's sharp point right through the leaf, and
as it grew, lifted it away from the ground
some six or more inches. Whether it will
be able to get rid of its burden when the
time comes for the bud to unroll it's pulpit,
ore cannot say, but it has begun so brave
ly that 1t is to be hoped that the leaf will
d
the leaf impaled and upborne thus that we
left it. The English cousins to the Jacks
the children there call lords and ladies'
they call the ones with the purple hoods
the "lords,'' the ones with the pale green
hoods the ladies" However. really it is
thought that the truth of the matter is the
reverse-that the purple leaves belong to
the female plant, the pale green to the
males.
Bluets, the most spirituelle of blossoms
looking like puffs of blue smoke clnging
close to the hillsides,'' are sturdier than
they look. They can grow in the most I'M
promising placeS-among the stones, in the
sand, and IN sunshine or shade growing a
deeper blue in the shady places. A goodly
bunch OF them is pretty for small vase
They bear transportation better than most
of the other flowers, and will keep fresh and
blue for several days.
Trees and Their Foliage.
The oaks now are pretty sight. They
have tiny leaves as pink as any coral
Some of the older leaves that have spread
themselves out in the sunshine are green,
but covered with a white downiness that is
like the white light on velvet. At the foot
of the tree, where the new shoots are
springing up, their leaves are deep red.