New-York tribune., 1903-07-31
LITTLE MOTHERS PLANTS
Prizes offered for Those IN Good
Conditional FeU Tales Of Woe.

that cats are the born enemies Of horticulture in
the tenements Is conclusion that has been forced
ugoa the minds Of many OF the Little Mothers who
live IN the neighborhood Of No p West-st- Yes
7er5ay when the Little Mothers held their annual
flower show at the Little Mothers Aid Association
rooms. many were the complaints that were lodged
against the family ceL
The cat ate the top of my plant last week. %
vailed Aaxen-haired fraulein from the Black
Forest whom hard fate had obliged 70 come
empty handed
50 did mine" burst in a wan. hollow-eyed child
with consumption written Oh her pinched face
Every day he would eat one leaf. TIL yesterday
II had them all eaten. I wanted TO put him OUT
chis 81 & renacing tone. as II even q desperate
character oS tenement house cat might well wince
- the prospect OF being put CUT" into cold world
N q bleak July night
Every year when Easter comes round, each Little
Mother receives as her birth-lghu a plant. Then
tine the summer all who have succeeded IN
making their geraniums-it always is geraniums-
lVe and flourish bring them back to the association
rooms for brief period Of exhibition, competition
and c5ngratulation-
All yesterday afternoon there was & procession OF
Ette girls with flower pots in their arms passing
r. and out and even the boys Of that part OF West
- had 10 come and look on from the doorway.
especially when the lemonade and cake began to
perc0late through the crowds OF girls
But flower show is quite too big name. after
ell 20 give the little fete. What happened was
this, The Little Mothers brought their plants and
stacked them upon the table. the top Of the piano
fr the show window and wherever else they could
fnd Judgement for them. The name OF the owner
vas written on e slip Of paper and placed in the
howerpo- near the stem Of the geranium- Then
Mrs. Clarence Burns. the president. looked them
over and the finest specimens were relocated in
conspicuous positions and the young husbandmen
duly congratulated Then every one received a
prize, in the form Of book.
Every one has tried hard" said Mrs Burns.
bEr some Of the girls live in rooms without ray
II sunshine and very little light. Others are more
fortunate Il IS largely matter OF luck whether
me plants live or not. We could not give prizes
for The finest plants. YOU see.'
Each plant had lis own little story
Ny gersuiur had rose come out II week
before last boasted Syrian. swarthy and heavily
rertnEec and hraCeleJ1ed. Her betting brows and
Tisage, but her voice was honey sweet
The lightning struck nv plant" -iped I'd an
English girl with historic name The leaves
zre I'll turning yellow
Ny cat (once more that domestic criminaID
dug all the clay out Of my pot with his front
hands. SO my hummer she fixed Il iu z box wa
the earnest statement OF coffee colcred Egyptian
A number OF the finest Eerauiums have been
transferred TO soap and borax boxes. One beauty
grew out of tin dinner pail. A tomato can had
been impressed into service by wee slip OF an
Irish girl And 50 II went. On even the zsuntest
most anaenlc gerarium love and tenderness had
been expended and by so much the Vest side
Uas richer.