The mirror., 1923-04-12

GOO troops Minnesota was the first to ans
wer the call and when President McKin-
ley called for troops in the Spanish Amer
ican war Minnesota was again the first
to respond, and when President Wilson
made the call, which was so recent that
it is fresh within the memory of us all,
the Minnesota boys responded true to
color ready to make the supreme sacrifice
for their county's cause, to make the
world safer place in which to live.
Minnesota's climate is seasonal. The
brisk March winds and the ascending
sun, soon dispel the frosty winter mantle,
and lay bare Mother earth, into whose
carefully prepared beds the agrarian
plants the dormant seed, to which the
warm shining sun and frequent April
showers give life, growth and luxuriant
splendor. The anemone, blood-root and
violet seem to vie one with the other to
produce the first flash of color to the ap-
preaching season of forescence when the
warm nursing May sun bursts the SWELL
ing buds, of the lilac, bridal wreath and
honey suckle, the apple, plum and cherry
filing the air with their mingled fra
GRANGE and bank their gorgeous splendor
in profusion against the mass of green
foliage of the forest and of the green
fields beyond creating setting which
can only be portrayed by gifted artist
art marvels of Natures power.
The blue bird and robin arrive with
the first approach of springtime and
herald the coming of the migratory birds.
The wild ducks quack and the geese honk
on their flight to their mating grounds in
the "North land" Bob White whistles on
the gate post and the prarie chicken koo,
loo, los on the ridge in the twilight an
nouncing the season of reproduction and
propagation of animal and vegetable life,
when everything alive seems to drink to
access of natures generous provisions for
growth, beauty, happiness and splendor.
June is ushered in with the blooming of
the wild rose, "the ornamental expression
of beauty. which is conspicuous on every
roadside, filling the air with its sweet fra
GRANGE and beautifying the landscape.
The lily and fox clothe hills and vale
with their radiance of splendor and the
delicate lady slipper (or moccasin Aower)
found only in the shady nook or
on the fern beds of the wooded hillside
bloom in profusion to glorify the floral
emblem of the great state of Minnesota.
The wide and expansive fields of wav-
ing grain resemble the billowy seas and
can only be measured by the distant hori-
zon when it meets with the green waves
ON the plains beyond. The goldenrod
signals the approach of the harvest sea
son with the fading rose and the sweet
perfume of the new mown hay and the
blending of green to gold. The click of
the binders records the folding of the
golden sheaves, and the hum of the
thresher announces the returns one
hundred fold. The gathering of fruit
and vegetable and the scarlet leaves of
the Sumac mark the approach Of autumn
season with its cool invigorating air and
the blending colors of Ash, Oak and Ma
pie into the gorgeous hues of the circling
rainbow depict scenic grandeur which
my feeble pen fails to describe, and
fringes the shores of its thousand crystal
lakes, numberless streams and hillsides
with the lofty grown pines intermingled,
seemingly defying the approaching win
ter season. "When fodder is in the shock
and the frost is on the pine" and winter
season approaches with the low descending
sum- we gather together at our freside to
give thanks to our Creator for the beau
tiful harvest, our existence and health,
and the privilege of providing for those
not so fortunate, and then we look for
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