The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-29
"A UNCONVENTIONAL GARDEN. "

"A UNCONVENTIONAL GARDEN"
Being a Partial Account of Lovey Mary's
Sunday visit to Miss Whey.
In the February Century, Lovey Mary,
Mrs. Wigs ard all the other delightful
folks of TIE Cabbage Patch 20 on as
unique u picnic as any pleasure seekers
ever enjoyed. Before this outing Lovey
Why for some yellowroOt, and Miss Why
tells her all about her ''denomnational
garden:
''This here is n denomina tional garden,
an l got every congregation 1 ever heared
Of planted in it. l amt got no faverite
bed. ] keer fer 'em all jes alike. When
you come to think of it, the same rule
holds good in startin' a garden as does in
startin' n church. You first got to steddy
then you have to sum up all the things
you have to fight ag'inst. Next you choose
what flowers are goin' to hold the best
places. That s n mighty important ques-
ton in churches, TOO, amt it? Then you
go to plantin', the thicker the better. fer
in both you got to allow fer a mighty fall
in off. After that you must take good
keer of what you got, an be sure to plant
something new each year. Once III while
out, an the new upstairs an suckers has
to be pulled up. Now, if you'll come out
here I'll show you round"
'Thcse here are the Saptists, said
Miss Why, waving her hand toward Il bed
of heliotrope and flags. '.They want lots
of water; like to be wet clean through.
They sorter set off to theyselves an tend
to their own business; don't keer much
bout minglin' with the other flowers"
''These is geraniums, amt they? One
Of the girls had one. once, in tlower-pot
when she was sick"
"Yes." said Miss Why; they're Metho-
dist They fall from grace an has to be
revived, they like lots of encouragement
in the way of sun an water. These phlox
are Methodist, too; no set color, easy to
cuttin' back the shoots makes it flower all
the better; needs new soil every few years.
Now, amt that Methodist down to the
ground:"
"Arc there any Presbyterians?" asked
Lovey Mary. beginning to grasp Miss
Why's mes2ing.
"Yes. indeed; they are good, old, re-
liable bed. Look at all these roses an
tiger-lilies an dahlias; they all knew what
they was going to be afore they started to
grow. They was elected to it, an they'll
keep on bein' what they started out to be
clean to the very end"
Miss Why crossed the garden, and
stopped before bed of stately lilies and
azaleas. "These are 'Piscopals," she ex-
planned. "Ain't they tony? Jes look like
they thought their bed was the only one
in the garden. Somebody said that lily
didn't have. no pore kin among the flow.
dignity. They're like the 'Piscopals in
more ways n one; bruh hates to be dis
TURNED, both likes some shade, an
confidential Ily-"both air pretty pernickity.
But, to tell you the truth, amt nothin'
kin touch 'em when it comes to beauty.
think all the other beds is proud of 'em, if
you'd come to look into it. Why, ieck ut
weddn's an funerals! Don't all the
churches call in the 'Piscopals an the lilies
on both them occasionsg'
"An' here" continued Miss Why. care
the Unitarians. You may be 'sprised at
me fer havin' 'em in here, long with the
orthodox churches; but if the sun an the
| rain don't make no distinction. don't see
what right l got to put 'em on the other
side of the fence. These first is sweet
william, as rich in bloom as the Unita-
rian is in good works, a-sowin' theyselves
constant, an every little plant a-puttin
out a flower"
"Ain't there any Catholics!" asked Lo.
vey Mary.
"Don't You see them hollyhawks an
snowballs an laylacs? All OF them are
Catholics, takin' up lots of room an need
in the prunin-knife pretty often, but
bringin' cheer an brightness to the whole
garden when it needs it most. Yes,
guess you'd have trouble thinkin' of any
sect amt got planted. Them ferns over
seen no Quakers, but they tell me that
they don't b'lieve in fowerin' out; tina!
| they like GOODNESS an shade an quiet. an
are jes the same the year round. These
colea plants are the apes; they are al
| things to all men, take Oh any color that's
| round 'em, kin be the worst kind of Bap
| lists or Presbyterians, but if left to they
selves they run back to good-fer-nothin's
| This here everlastin' is one of these here
| Christians that's so busy thinkin' 'bou
dyin' that he fergits to live"
Miss Why chuckled as she crumbled the
dry flower in her fingers.
"Se how different this IS" she said
plucking n sprig of lemon-verbena. This
an the mint an the sage an the lavender
| is all true Christians; jes' by bein' touch
ed they give out a influence that makes
the whole world a sweeter place to live
in. But, after all, they can't all be alike
stands fer sunshine, some fer shade; some
fer beauty, some fer use; some up high
some down low. There's jes one thing al
the flowers has to unite in fghtin' az inst
that's the canker-worm. Hate. If il
once gifts in a plant, no matter how good
an strong that plant may be, it eats right
down to its heart"
"How do you get it out, Miss Viny?
asked Lovey Mary, earnestly.
prayer an perseverance,. 1T the
Christian II do his part, God II do his'n
You see, I'm tryin' to be to these flowers
what God is to his churches. The sun,
which answers to the Sperrit, has to shine
on 'em all. an the rain, which answers to
Gods mercy, has to fall on 'em all. jes
watch 'em, an plan fer 'em, an shelter
'em, an love 'em, an IL they do their
part, they re bound to grow"
Pound His Medal.