The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-22

I pretty kid Hes my brother. and
you bet shan't nuthing hurt him when
I'm round" In a bad the
solution OF the whole difficult prob
lem. II a flashed through me at
that proud He's my brother" 1t
is ownership that makes us rea lie
things at their true value and wish
%to defend than. These poor children
had never owned flowers; therefore
they could not rightly Judge their
value to those who did own them.
and the sight OF SO much beauty be-
ing enjoyed by some. while they never
had such things, filled their little be-
ings with hatred and q desire to
d~epredate. One thing l had learned
by my afternoon stroll, and | went
home to mediate. resolve and act.
AS turned h corner. about two
blocks from my home. | noticed d
large double vacant lot. probably so
feet front by 40 feet in depth. 1t
was the only vacant ground fronting
the park. Upon inquiry, / earned
that 1t was a portion Of an estate, SO
left that nothing could be done with
1t until the youngest heir became of
age. which was still a good many
years of. l also learned the name
of the trustee who had the property
in charge, and gladly recognized in
him a man widely known for his
phiianthrophy. / lost no time in
seeing him and making known my
wishes, that i might be allowed to
transform this vacant space of red
clay into a flower garden, hic
should blossom as a rose. He en-
tered heartily Into my plans and
kindly offered TO enclose the entire
plot with a six-foot wire netting
/ fapr. paNf y{Gitaj ,-u r1fr5A1rr
en~deavoring TO enlist them in my
enterprise, and while many were In
eltned 10 taboo the whole scheme,
Yet nearly every one gave me some
thing In the way Of seeds, slips,
plants or money with which to buy
anything needed. In the meantime
/ had spent much Of my time on the
street. getting acquainted with the
Ting-leaders Of the various corner
gangs, so that now ] was pretty well
known. When I first mentioned the
subject TO them. they seemed scarcely
10 realize that it was possible that
a lady could really mean to do such
a great thing for them. namely to
give each boy who wanted 1t a small
plot OF ground and some flower seeds
Tor his very own. and the ground,
too, fronting hat beautiful park
which seemed to belong only TO rich
people. But when / had at last made
them understand that 1t was really
true. and appointed an afternoon
when they. should assemble and in
true Western fashion stake a claim.
their eagerness and JOY knew no
bounns. The afternoon arrived, and
about thirty boys. ranging in age
from min to fifteen. assembled in
this vacant lot We first laid off a
walk down the center and divided
each side into fifteen plots, Much
fun was oceasioned by each boy be-
ing given a stake with a large white
card attached, with his name written
on IT.. and II by one they drove it
into the middle of their plot. When
each tired. but happy. boy wendell
his way home that night, there was a
feeling of ownership, something to
| defend. which helps to make good
citizens from even rough material.
II would AXE TOO much space to tell
the story of that first summers work
with those boys. how they hauled
rich dirt in wheelbarrows. enclosed
each little plot with 10-inch wire
netting, how carefully they planted
seeds and eagerly watched for the
first sign OF a tiny shoot: how zeal
ousiy they watered and tended them.
until in the late summer there was
hp hhR bNdhtlA II spot IN our whole
city than this which the street bows
owned, Graceful vines Of morning
and evening glories. cypress. Virginia
creeper and balsam with it's golden
gouros, laced in and out of the net
ting, which surrounded the whole.
scarlet sage, hitunias. cannas sweet
a~lyssiufn, golden glow. old fashioned
pinks. pansies. geraniums and mas
turtians We'd with each other In the
variety ana beauty az their blossoms
n occasionally a tiny rose would
put forth a few buds. and it's owner
was as proud as IL he had invented a
new steam engine. And ownership
taught them the love of flowers, and
ownership taught them how others
loved their flowers. and our vexatfous
problem was solved. And this was
not the only good derived from that
venture, for their own homes soon
began to take on a different aspect.
Old buildings and fences were hid
den by vines, front yards were clean
ed OF rubbish. and flowers blossom
I ed them. As for me 7 think NV c,,n