The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-07-03
YITALIZING SEEDS
OF KINDNESS
Ry FRANCES sHAFFER.

wild roses-more than ten millions Of
them-had the right Of way In Lonodon
last week, when the city's fair and fair
est, all robed in white from head to foot,
stood on the street corners and every
other available spot, with baskets piled
away to the top with great punches OF
the pretty English posies.
But they were not from Natures gar
den. Indeed, the roses were all made
Of satinette by crippled and blind chill
dren in London institutions. And II was
something like casting their bread upon
the waters, for when the proceeds OF the
days sale were all in-not far from S2oo.-
O0o-a Eoodly share was turned over to
the city's crippled and orphaned.
Soon after sunrise the women began
their work, and they came from all
sections and all classes-plain, lovely
little nobodies from the byways and
respondent, high-titled somebodies from
the highways. And all with their bas-
kets Of Wild roses, q penny for q single
posy, q shilling for a nosegay, all the
way up to half a sovereign or more,
when some one was minded to part with
larger sum in the name Of sweet
charity"
1t was wild roses everywhere, with
rosettes for the horses, garlands for
motor cars, and huge punches TO deco
rate breakfast, luncheon, and dinner ia
bles Of restaurants and hotels-an for
q price, be II remembered. The entrance
to theaters were lined with young girls.
actresses, and well known women who
Piled their new flower trade so well that
many times during the course Of the day
they reached the very last layer in their
baskets and had to send to headquarters
for a fresh supply Of the children's
| hAndiwork.
And at headquarters there was a beyy
| of duchesses-you and 1 know them by
name, that's all-who kept open house
to welcome the workers. They served
on hand huge stores OF wild roses to re-
plenish the baskets as they kept coming
in from the busy flower girls and women.
And every man in London must have
had a wild rose In his buttonhole. every
woman q great bunch or q single flower
fastened somewhere to show that the
spirit Of the new fete had taken lasting
hold Of the great metropolis.
II was a fete in honor Of Queen
Alexandra, the fftyeIghth anniversary
OF her first visit to England before she
was the wife OF the late King Edward,
and the money raised at the unique sale
is to be distributed TO charities in which
the Queen Mother Is interested. In &C
cordance with her wishes, the fete is 10
become an annual event, and the day
will be designated as Alexandra day.
And a right pretty day 1t is, don't you
think?
Some folk say that We have tag days.
! nag days, and other days enough, but
who believes them? And It may be that
the idea will be taken up this side OF
the water. and we. too, shall see wild
roses-for our wild roses are as pretty as
any-msda nv the siRhtlesR the crippled
the deaf and dumb, and sold broadcast
for the institutions where they are help
ed and healed
For II is well for the city and well
for the individual to pause once IN a
while from the hurly-burly that consti-
tutes life-just to remember. That fete
in London was primarily to honor the
Queen Mother, but It bore more than
sentimental fruit
Do you remember the peculiar signif-
icance Of Children's Day in Sweden. how
the country's purse-strings are recklessly
loosened on that day, to provide funds
to support summer colonies for poor
children? 1t is a gala time for the boys
and girls, who wear all sorts of fantastic
garbs, take part in pageantries, and con-
| tribute OF their mite. that their little SIS
tiers OF the poor may have a six weeks
outing where things are green and fresh.
Little tin banks are scattered through
out the cities, theaters. and music-haIls
are turned over to the management of the
enterprise, and all day long silver and goId
coins drop from the hands Of the COM
Portable, in the name OF the little ones
to provide a heslthful breathing-spot IN
the summertime.
Yes. these special days are quite worth
while