Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-13
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

covering what perhaps they already
knew that the smaller interests Of life
can be quite as interesting, in their
way, as the larger If approached In the
right way; that such interests tend to
lessen the brain fever Of humanity
which stultifies itself at times by too
close application to tremendous things:
that out of these lesser things grow
some Of the most durable satisfactions
Of life.
No one who has planted and tended
even the smallest garden but will real
iZe the immense amount of mental
cheer which comes out Of the work If
one is of the proper temperament
Many attempt it, Of course, who are
not fitted for it.
The aggregate beauty of q great
city depends finally upon the separate
small places which go to make it up,
Lack of care in home and surroundings
will end in making an entire city dingy
although the passerby may not at first
be able to put his finger upon the
precise sore spot.
The civic rightneSs which blossoms in
hedges good lawns, flower beds, borders,
well-kept shrubs. trees, is exactly the
one point where the effectiveness OF
the average citizen may show itself.
In such work, and in such work alone,
the average man may display the faith
he has in his community and his city
To comparative few only is given the
opportunity. such a queer thing is life
to stand in the legislative halls in the
interests of civic righteousness.
But almost every one may do his
bit" "a silly old expression, but still a
good one) by planting few flowers and
keeping the grass cut, and taking some
evident pride in what belongs to him
The effect of flowers everywhere In
season is a growing one, eliminating
effect, which finally makes the visitor,
as we'll as the resident, say some day,
Il never realized just how many flowers
there are in this city"
A great deal remains to be done,
however.
There are two things which may be
done to increase the beauty of the city,
at comparatively little expense. and to
the eternal happiness Of hundreds OF
human beings.
One is to induce those who as vet
have taken little interest in gardening
to become enthusiasts. This is admit
tedly something of feat. Fortune
alone. in many cases. can achieve this.
A chance article, glimpse of a certain
flower in a florists window or in a
friends garden. the advice of ones doc
tor, the purchase OF a home with
grounds
These are only few ways in which
the person unhappily divorced from the
soil may be married to it again. Propa-
ganda here must give place to genuine
personal interest, to the real enthusi-
asm which carries conviction with it
and induces others to 90 and do like
wise
The other way in which the beauty
Of city may be increased is by the
realization of those who already are
contributing to it, through their neat
hedges, their good lawns, their flowers,
shrubs, trees. and so on, that in all
likelihood there is some aspect of their
property which has not received the at
tention which it deserves
This comes about because familiarity
breeds contempt, in a sense: that is,
one tends to overlook, at last, certain
shortcomings which may have offended
at first And then not every one pos
SesseS this idea of absolute completeness
around place; he sees no reason why
hidden spot should be kept in apple
pie order, If it Is not particularly
visible.
Here is the great chance of the great
average man. who is supposed to be the
bulwark of the Nation. to make a real
contribution to the beauty of the Ma
tional Capital. Let all neglected spots
be put into good shape; in the aggre-
gate this extra care is bound to show
up and add to the beauty of an already
magnificent city.
Spic-and-span? Just that! If civili-
zation is to mean anything, it means
care and order. The garden and home
grounds must be orderly to be civilized.
BY being civilized they become truly a
part of a civil community.