GRANDPA REED.
They called the great balm-of-Gilead-tree in the lane “Grandpa’s cane.” They used to like to put their arms about it and look up into the branches. They thought it wonderful that a cane should grow into such a big tree.
Then came the great Civil War. Your mamma or auntie can tell you about it. There were a great many wounded soldiers, and the people used to send bandages and lint for their wounds. Do you know what lint is? It is made of linen cloth. It is soft, like wool.
Grandpa Reed had a little granddaughter Clara. Clara saw the women and girls making lint, and she wanted to make lint too. But aunt Mary said she was not big enough to make lint.
CLARA.
“But I will tell you,” said aunt Mary, “where you can find some nice lint;” and she took her out to the great balm-of-Gilead-tree in the lane.
Now you have all seen the soft, white pussy-willows. Well, the pussies are the willow flowers; and the balm-of-Gilead-tree has pussies too. But they are not soft and white; they are brown. They look like brown caterpillars.
After the blossoms wither the seeds come. These seeds are covered with wool like that on the dandelion’s ball.
The wind blows this wool from off the trees, and there it was that morning. The ground was white with it.