The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-11-18
THE ROSES THAT INSPIRED
GEORGE BANCROFT.
eY e. j. EDWARDS.

time to time that George Bancroft. the
historian, was among the foremost au-
thorittes of his day on the cultivation.
varieties, habits and characteristics of
roses. 1t is also true-as has been
stated-that the love of roses amounted
almost to a passion with Mr.. Bancroft.
But l nave never seen 1t printed that
croft In his great work. Yet 1t was my
good fortune to have him naively make
this confession to me under very inter-
esting circumstances.
One balmy June morning n matter Of
business took me to the Washington :
residence of the venerable man, then
engaged in putting the inal touches on
his monumental history of the United
States. With a gracious and cordial
| dignity he received me in his library,
fragrant with the perfume from a vase
full Of roses resting on a table. In
deed. SO beautiful were the flowers that
l could not help remarking to Mr.. Ban:
Ecroft even before the business in hand
was finished, VIVA exquisite roses,
Mr.. Bancroft"
He had been all attention before. but
now his eyes shone with the fire of en-
thusiasm.
do you like roses?" he asked With
almost childish eagerness. e.,
Yes" 1 replied, they are my favor
lite flower" i,
Then come with me" he said simply.
A minute or two later, as we left the
house by the rear door, I found myself
standing or the edge Of a luxurtantly,
blooming rose garden, occupying the
whole of the rear yard, about rs feet in
depth and 50 feet in width, as 1 remem-
Der it. 1t was plain even to lay eyes
that Mr.. Bancroft had made artistic
and economic use of every foot of the
. plot at his command.
: AS we walked along the little winding,
paths that gave easy access to each
bush Mr.. Bancroft's hands were prodi-
gal with caresses for his roses, and his;
touch upon them was like that of a fond.
fathers upon the head OF a favorite.
child.
They are my children, the compan-
ions of my leisure hours" he told me
with charming simplicity. Sometimes
| they have tempted me ava when T.
should have been at my desk. Do YOU
Eknow that they sleep, getting drowsy at
twilight, and falling sound asleep when,
darkness comes? And, though l love
them All, do you know that sometimes
! think the n%eighboring blossoms pout
when l caress one Of their fellows? I
can't help thinking that these friends
n companions have some sub-con-
scious intelligence, and I know of a
surety that to them / owe great happi-
cess I have had in life, for they have
been true healers of many of my mo-
mentary infirmities.'
He stopped before some blossoms of
exluisitely delicate tint. With both
n he. lovingly stroked them.
"Ah, how they have refreshed mo-"
NJ went on. Invariably I come to
them when work on my history has
wearied me. 1 talk with them, 1 fancy
they know what 1 say and like nv ca
resses, and they send me back to nv
desk with my body refreshed and nv
mind stimulated for further work"
Again he stopped, this time before ~
bush laden with blooms magni6cent,v
red.
"They helped me with a battle once.
I had reached a point where the excite.
ment of the theme no longer sustained
me. Suddenly, l lay down my pen and
sought out this tall defiant bush. with
Its blood-red blooms that have ALWAYS
seemed to me to be sprung from some
great battlefield. And as 1 stood before
spirit of bush and roses. 1 fairly
slowed with it. Then 1 returned to
my desk, picked up my pen, and the
task that had been hard was easy.
Thus this charming ole gentleman of
80 odd years chatted with child-Iika
franl5ness of his beloved flower friends
as we walked along the little paths,
winding about them; and when finally
I left him I could not help taking away
with me the thought that recurs to NV
mind whenever I hear the name n
George Bancroft mentioned: sThe
roses-they have helped him to make
his name"
Copyright. 800. by L. j. Edwards.)