Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-02-04
Written for the Oxford Democrat.
DIVERSE EANClES.

i II. =. Arthur, In Leaves from ths
Book of Human Life" in one illustra
ton entitled ssThe Punctual Man," rep
resents man, few rods In advance OF
his wife, making rapid strides for thu
train, with grip In hand, while the wife
with wrap half adjusted and bonnet
lying partly on her shoulders, Is pulling
on for dear life. The husband, Away
In hurry lest he should get left, while
the wife like the woman In the play
Little Behind" always brings up the
rear. But what has this TO do with the
subject at hand? Each must draw his OF
her own conclusions.
NV wife has mania for flowers, how'
ering plants, ETC., while myself, the
husband. am a dear lover OF horti-
culture, fruits and the like. House
plants am not greatly interested In, al
though the wild flowers delight my eve,
and In my youth | could exclaim, "Be-
hold the lilies OF the field"
Now don't Judge me hastily. Wait I'LL
tell you more. Where ! am now writ
ing are two Windows. The bay window
Is filled with plants, tier above tier. The
other, low and large, Is unapproscha-
BILE for plants. In this and other places,
for twenty years or more, | have with y
wood fire kept these plants from freez-
ing, at an expense OF considerable anx-
iety, fuel and loss OF sleep, besides other
incidentals. | can't tell you the names
of three Of those plants, yet should
feel badly TO get up OF morning and
find them frozen. No; can't move my
chair. or tilt back, Outlook out for
those plants" Sometimes 1t comes too
late, as NOW | coin q word or two) ~
dull thud" makes one conscious OF an
overturned pot, plant, earth, etc.
What complain Of H., II has become
fad. Mrs. So-and-so has got this, and
got that. The floral catalogue must be
consulted, hard-earned cash must be sent
to the florist that he may become rich at
the expense OF these dupes, to obtain
noxious weeds In many cases.
| 1t il true, the fruiterer Is quite as
often humbugged. Look ut the worth.
less crabs, dwarfs, tree berrifs, etc,
with which the humble farmer has cum
bered his land, by reason Of these smooth
tongued fellows.
Yes, noxious weeds. | speak ad-
visedly from sad experience. These
come largely from the ont-oi-door plants.
where the rheumatic woman will stoop
and dig In the cold damp earth IN the
springtime, and then exclalm, what In
the world makes me 40 lameT' In my
oyhood. the "house leek" and the
"Aaron's rod were cultivated as house
plants, and In the garden. View now In
your fields the plant then known as
.Aaron's rod" What the regulation
name Ia I know not. | have a good
large lot. and II was strewn with all
manner OF towering plants, many of
which | have eradicated. | have one
plot bound and swarded with one OF
these everlastings. know not its name.
Nv wife can tell. am strongly i'm
pressed that its Christian name is Dam.
| | know It's nature is more human than
divine--to crowd.
Again the vender Of humbugs enters
your dwelling. spare the book agent,
as attempted that role once, aud now
seem 10 hear the audible sighs OF relief
escape nv victims rs | would turn away,
which soon drove me out Of that busi-
ness.) He sees at a glance the line TO
pursue. He too Is dear lover OF the
beautiful, and ten TO one he disposes of
his humbug, for the good wife cannot
think that the man whose heart was
possessed OF Il love for the beautiful can
be anything but honest.
To nv mind, where beauty and utility
combined can be made TO serve US poor
mortals. (this Is intended for the yeo-
mary of the land. deign not to sug-
gest or advise the wealthy aristocrat
Oh, noD Would II not seem better TO
sdopt these? Ii IL true the grapevine
would not appear so aesthetic, or
poetic as the woodbine, yet IL Is Tar
more beautiful aside from the above at
tributes, and what can be more beauti-
| full than its clustering fruitl
The apple, the pear, and other fruit
bearing trees, what can be more beauti-
full than these, well trained, on the
street, on the lawn, or anywhere In the
Makers kiugdomg Commencing with the
green leaf, then after little the bloom,
as In Whittier's beautiful poem entitled,
"The Minister'S Daughter, the Apple
Bloom OF May" So the apple, the pear,
the cherry, how much they please the
senses Of seeing and smelling! Then
come the bowling branches, bending with
their wealth of fruit, where the weary
traveller might rest beneath its shade,
aud partake OF It's luscious fruit. Not
long since dared TO draw brief COM
parison between these trees, favorites
from nv childhood, and the naples
which shade my lot, and the fallen
leaves which obscure the green for rods
around, when 10! in his haste the pub
Usher preceded the article with reply.
To sum II all up, do not expect every
one to agree with me, but few at best.
would not have it so II 1 could. The
world Is made up Of contrsries, or d.
verse views, and this Is right.
P.S. One lady suggests, "lou have
omitted the insects and vermin which
are imported with the plants"
Still another rises 10 remark, 1--WE
will do away with these plants an.
other winter and sleep In cold room.
The reader may form vague idea OF
who the latter may be. G. TILroN.