ANOTHER ROSE-BUSH.
We selected another vigorous bush, and simply put a board cover over it, leaving the sides open; and then we removed even this cover one hour in the middle of each day. When this treatment had been continued for eleven days, we took away the cover, and asked a few lady friends to visit the garden with us. On coming to the clump of rose-bushes, they exclaimed:—
"Oh! how beautiful; how very beautiful."
"Young ladies, which of all these rose-bushes do you most admire? I must first tell you that, some days since, I asked the Deacon which he thought the most fresh and beautiful, and he selected this one."
"What, that one?"
"Yes, he thought this one looked the strongest, and had the richest colors."
"Now, is that really so?"
"Yes, I brought him out here on purpose to ask him, and he selected this one at once."
"Well, he must have queer eyes. That's just like these men, they don't seem to know anything; why, that is really the meanest one in the whole lot. It looks as if it had a fit of the dumps."
Then I had to tell them that the Deacon was right, and that, in his selection, he had shown the characteristic discrimination and taste of men! but that, during a number of days, the great solar artist had been partially interrupted in his exquisite touches upon this particular bush,—in fact, I gave them a little lecture, then and there, upon the relations between sunshine and beauty.