New-York tribune., 1917-07-23
Country a Beautiful Land
Of Mystery to Youngsters
from Tenements
Touch Farmers Heart
Grabbed Curmudgeon" Is
Discovered To Be a
Kindly Man

There was a little gigl once Who
knew that spring had come because
she "seen them swingin' doors on the
beer saloon by the corner"
There was another little girl who,
on her first visit to Paradise, saw a
haystack and exclaimed: "0h, thera's
beehive It's just like the picture
in my reader. | wonder where's The
bees!"
Another iassie, Brooklyn sister to
these two, on her first trip to the
country passed field of growing corn
with the wondering comment: What
lot O. rubber plants!'
In another place a group OF six
little women Of seven years or 80,
scampering from a railroad station on
their first country vacation, stopped
TO watch a robin with a breast that
glowed like a summer sunset pluck q
careless worm from its hole amid the
grass. And as they watched they dls-
eussed IL wisely as "the "duck."
Several other little girls that knew
as little of the country as these per-
formed a miracle. They were having
Fresh Air vacation, apparently their
first, and had asked if they might PICK
some flowers. The response being Q
hearty "Of course!" they strayed on
and went to work.
Stripped the Squash Vines
They wandered into the squash
patch OF a farmer who was described
by one Of his neighbors as the crab
bedest old curmudgeon" in the
county, and before they were discov'
cred, unw.tting of the harm they were
doing, they stripped the vines bare 81
blossoms. The two daughters OF the
"curmudgeon" waited in fear and
trembling for the time when he shorld
learn of the havoc wrought by the
youngsters.
And with the discovery came Gil the
signs of the storm they had expected.
He stamped and thundered in his anger
"Who, who, who?" he shouted, point
ing TO the ravished squash vines. But
for a long time ne would listen to no
explanation. Finally, however, he was
made to understand just what had hap
pened-and then the miracle!
The thunder clouds fled from his
brow, the lightning died in his eye, and
he shook his head gently as he said:
"Well, we'll; | guess | can stand 1t.
'Tain't no wonder they don't know
SQUASH blooms from flowers, hvin'
where they do. Let 'em have 'em, God
bless 'eml"
Thousands Just Like Them
Pitiful little ignoramuses, these lit
tie commentators on the book OF ma
ture! But what else could they be,
"livin' where they do" in the tene-
ments and the crowded, treeless, flower
less streets Of some parts Of this great
city? They are not imaginary children,
nor are these stories told to point a
moral-the children, the stories, are
facts. And there are thousands OF
Youngsters like these children who
know nothing OF the budding Of nature
in the spring and nothing of the things
that exist in the country.
Readers of The Tribune, let the
stolen squash blossoms perform their
second miracle in your hearts to-day
d miracle that will make you send a
contribution to the Tribune Fresh Air
Fund so that some little tenement igno-
ramus may get fortnight's oppor-
tunity to learn a few of the secrets of
nature and an opportunity TO play and
grow fat away from the heat Of the
city this summer.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TRIBUNE FREsB
AIR FUND