The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-03
a Hint From Nature.

Make Orange ono OF the cleancst and
most attractive towns In tho stare, SO !.
Viii DO model in every respect. l'et
the side streets as well as the NAN .
thoroughfares be kept In perfect order.
Orange Observer.
.rhe movement In the interest OF pup
LID cleanliness and public oriiamcntation
Is as broad as the land and Is making
wondrous progress. Large sums OF
money are being expended iii destroying
NTH and in converting cesspoo'lss IN; INTO
beauty spots. 1t is not fad but 10 Is
rapidly becoming a fashion, and fashion
rules tho world. The saying that "cic clear
Illness is next to goodness" Is the motto
OF the age, the slogan Of tile campaign
for dccency. Cleanliness means health
and moro than that, 1t has wholesome
influence upon tho morals Of the people
Ornamcntation follows cleanliness us
shadow follows substance.
It Is strange that SO, many sensible
people think that ornamentation IS not
worth while. We recall a refined woman
OF other days who had IN extensive HOW.
or garden. She gave 1t her personal at
tention ana sho expended a consldera pie
sum OF money each year III keeping It III
condition.. She spent much of her life
among her flowers, and she was noted
for her refinement and generosity Inc 'l,e
flower garden was tho expression OF her
acsthetcisn, yet a practical man from
the country who saw 1t ono day from
rnni11np1v dis
tressed at the e$trava gatcc, as 1T APP
pcarcd to him. III hisEestimatlon II was
Il sinful waste of land and time and
labor and money. when tile plot could
have been So much more prohtably cul-
tvatcd as cabbage patch. The man
vas entirely honest. But was he right!
Should tho taste Of the woman have been
degraded and brought down to the level
of the cabbage patch? or should the
taste or tho man have been elevated 10
an appreciation Of the flower garden?
The cabbage patch has It's uses. and It
may BIO remarked that ourttherotne had
a splendid cabbage patch IN the back
garden, but tho flower garden Is also
useful as well rs ornamental, and 1t is
npnarent that the man of whom we have
been speaking was in deplorablc need Of
Horticulture.
Is characterization worth nothing? Has
it no uses? If so Dame Nature Is
silly old woman, for she spends much
OF her force In decoration. Man may
plant the rose, but nature gives the IN
crease and upon each blossom puts a
days work Of sculptor and painter IN
forming the flower and painting the
gtints, .sl ia 81 Y li3.
There ia within a few miles Of Rich
lnond a small forest in which the Dame
has this year done tho work Of mil
lion artists simply in tinting the leaves
of the trees and draping. the graceful
vines. we make this statement by ali-
thority, for We have seem the work. not
once, but dozen times, and we have
wondered at tho Danes extravaganza
silly old woman! But we cannot scold
her for her revclry.. for iii Pleasing her
self she has pleased her visitors, refresh
ing every sense, stimulating the artistic l1
taste. stirring divinest sentiments, whis-
pcrlng to the bereavcd the consolation
of the Resurrection. S,if
"rThere is a pleasure in the painless
wood"
Nature sets the example in ornamental
ton, and man may initiate 1t in per-
| feet faith and confidence.