The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-20

Washington, April 19.-(Special)-The
more closely you study the yelled my
steries and the unveiled glories of spring
time and the greater the number of
springs that weave themselves into your
life the more admiringiy do you contem-
Mate the endless mercy and goodness OF
the Primal Power, which created the
earth to SOW it in flowers and girdle IL
In Joy, and the sky to SOW 1t In stars
and girdle 1t in vast mystery.
AS the springtimes link themselves and
form the everlengthening river of flow
ers flowing through your life, you feel
stronger and stronger the impulse TO
kneel before the first blossom you ma
laughing through the crust OF the earth
in the brown field in which you lolter-
to bend the knee there as before new
made altar to the Most High, and max
ing the sign of the cross give thanks
for the ceaseless mercy that bids the
blooms to burst for your gladness
And as the vernal hours hurry the
flowers upward and outward in mystery
and in plentifulness, and the young
leaves mysteriously green the trees you
are glad of the hidden cause that I'M
pels you to fling yourself upon the up
springing grass and praise God for the
glory and beauty and sweetness He has
given you in such opulent abundance.
AS you lie prone upon the carpet ma
ture has woven richer for rich and poor
than all the warp and wool of the looms
of Occident or Orient and look up TO
the blue dome Of the universe, which is
bluer and more sublime this springtime
than In any other springtime since your
wears began, YOU hear the melody of
birds and the hum of bees blending In
an anthem infinitely low and sweet and
enhancing, and upon the breezes that
do gently blow you whisper thanksgiv-
ing and praise and humble petition. You
have flung yourself at the foot of the
high altar not builded by the hand of
man, and In your brief hour of praise
YOU feel that sin and grief are very far
away, beyond the wooded hills and where
spreads the great city.
You do not wonder what power It was
that unlocked the soil that the grass and
the flowers might laugh in the track of
frost, for you know. And your -knowl-
edge is enough to give you most abund-
ant happiness, whether frost reigns or
flowers flourish.
Spring has come tardily to Washington,
but 1t is enough to know that 1t is here
though there is vexatious chilliness still
in the air This is forest city, and the
greening trees are everywhere and ev-
cry hour adding their charm to beautiful
Washington.
This morning I strolled through tho
White House grounds and the famous
park in front, where l found workmen
busily preparing the site for the statue
of Rochambeau soon to be with much
international ceremony unveiled. But
that work and its purpose were mere
noisiness compared with the trees and
flowers and birds. Between the front
portco of the White House and the street
are numerous odd-shaped beds of hya-
cinths and pansies. The whites, puppies,
pinl1s and wonderfully varieted shades,
frightened by brilliant sunshine, formed
a paradise of beauty. Near the street
were two trees some twenty PAGES apart
that were bare of even the suggestion of
leaves, but entirely covered by extraor-
binary masses of purple and cream flow
ers shaped something like the blossom of
the crocus. / asked a gardener to tell
me the name of the tree. He smiled kind
ly, and answered:
Magnolia"
do you mean Magnolia?" 1 asked.
Yes: Magnolia-Maganolia," he said