The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-06
TheLesson of the
 Morning Glories

~HE garden was an unusually pretty one, and Dan and Helen [
 should have been very proud of - 1t and really interested in It's welfare. But they were not That is, to be exact, they enjoyed and ad- mired it. to be sure; but when it came | to their doing anything towards keep ing 1t trim and neat, they steadfastly | displayed a surprising amount of in- difference. For instance, there are always weeds in a garden. They seem to spring up over night, and they take from the soil a great deal of nour- ishment that would otherwise go to the flowers and vegetables. So, a l good gardener always sees that every weed is pulled up by the roots and thrown away.
 Now Mamma had tried to interest them by pretending that the weeds were the soldiers of 8 great army invading the garden and killing off the pretty flowers and the tender lettuce and radishes and the other vegetables of which the children were so fond But after one day of this, Dan and Helen lost interest.
 Then, old Nose, the gardener, had an idea. Taking Dan and Helen by the hand he led them to one corner of the garden and showed them cluster of morning gories growing straight up on sticks very close to the garden wall.
 "A spects you all gwine be mighty pleased wid desc heah moah'nin' <~Ir largest of the vines. 'I done raise 'em special fo' you. Dis heah one am yoah's, Miss Helen. an dis heah one belongs ter you, Mister Dan. kain't zactly make up nah mind which am de biggest an de pret- tiest"
 positive tones.
 Tt is not It certainly is not!" ob- jected Helen instantly. Mines lots large-isn't 1t, Mose?"
 Deed An clare t'goodness An kain't tell. Miss Helen" answered old Nose, pretending to be greatly pug zled. "Dey both looks erbout de same to me-"
 Well, then, mines the prettiestl" insisted Helen.
 y. Tt is not! Mines got more flowers on it than yours, and I guess that makes it the prettiest, doesn't it. Nose? 2"
 Nose scratched his head thought fully. "Jist at this partic'lar minute it might Mister Dan,p the willy old gardener replied. but Miss Helen's gwine have five mo ob desc heah hltd in' h an "-here Nose turned and inspected Dams vine closely-"Ah 'spects dey ain't enny buds gwine open on Mister Dams til bout three -fo'ah moahn- in's."
 Why" asked Dan promptly.
 Well" answered old Nose, smiling behind his hand and looking round to make sure no one could hear him say 1t, q 'spects it's because de weeds done growed 'roun' yoahs mo dan dey has roun' Miss Helen's An pulled lots ob dem up from roun' Miss Hell ems de other afternoon, but I ain't had no time to tend to yoah's, Mister Dan"
 Well then" exclaimed Dan, de- terminedly, "I'll pull them myself! l guess I can pull weeds most as well
 
 take care of Helen's for her"
 'Lawdysakes," Nose exclaimed with a grin. "Ah sho'ly would like t take keer ob Miss Helen's vine fo her, but Ah'm so busy wid all desc heah other flowers an vigitables An ain't got de time"
 "You needn't, Mose!" Helen spoke up, with spirit. "I'll take care of my own, thank you-and I know mine will be larger and prettier than thai ugly old one of Dams, so 1t willi
 "Mine'H be up to the top of the wall first" said Dan.
 "It won'ti" declared Helen.
 Tt will"
 Well. we'll see, Mister Smarty!"
 'All right, we'll see!'
 And old Nose quietly withdrew chuckling and talking to himself de- lghtedly, as both Dan and Helen fell to with will pulling out weeds from around their respective morning elories.
 Moreover, the contest between them kept up for days and days, with old \ Nose leading them on and encour- aging them. And each day, the very first thing in the morning, Dan and Helen were out in the garden working away and comparing their respective plants.
 And-would you believe it-pres ontly they became interested in other