Life — July 12, 1923 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

2” = a os > - =e ae. igre ede ~ iS a She “DON’T YOU FIND TWO MILES AN HOUR A BIT SLOW?” “WELL, I DUNNO! IT KEEPS A FELLER FR’M GITTIN’ RECKLESS.” Saying It With Flowers 'HE selection of floral emblems has become a delicate and difficult task. Competition runs high. There was a time when the great body of Americans put forward with anguished intensity the claim of the golden-rod to be our national flower because it grew everywhere, while a sturdy opposition held out for the Columbine because it was spelt like—or nearly like—Columbia. But only a year ago, a Congressman from New York rejected both these candidates in favor of the daisy. The modest and un- assuming character of this pretty weed struck him as closely symbolizing the nation; and he introduced a bill in the House to propose its official recognition. For the past decade, state legislators have from time to time put aside trivialities, like schools, and taxes, and Prohibition enforcement laws, and turned their attention to the really serious question of choosing a state flower. It has been hard work, Children have been bidden to vote, and have voted. Ladies’ clubs have been asked for suggestions, and have given them. When Georgia selected the Cherokee rose, the press of the country unanimously commended her choice; and a few people, who had chanced to read American history, thought that “Chero- kee” was the word of all words which she would naturally have preferred to forget. That Mother’s Day should be represented by a white carnation, and Decoration Day by a poppy seems right enough in the eyes of the heedless citizen to whom one flower is as emblematic as another. But now comes along Miss Jarvis, who invented Mother’s Day, and who wants to bar the carnation because of profiteering florists. Fol- lowing her comes Dr. Lewis Battle, who wants to bar the poppy because narcotics can be made from it, and because red is unfortunately the color of blood. It sug- gests battle and carnage rather than sweetness and light. These are painful perplexities. What about the dande- lion for Mother’s Day? It would be hard to corner the dandelion market in May. As for the poppy—well, if the soldiers whose graves we decorate had shrunk too sensi- tively from the color of blood, there would be no Decora- tion Day. The Southern .States would have peacefully seceded, Germany would have peacefully occupied the United States, and we should all be living in clover. Happy thought! Why not the clover, emblem of pros- perity, to stand for everything? Agnes Repplier. From the Mouths of Parents (History That Must Have Been.) ES, our little Saul has such a sweet disposition, He wouldn’t say a cross word to any one.” “Salome is a little angel. She does everything out of consideration for others.” “Judas is going to be a great man some day. He has such a knack of making friends.” “Cleopatra takes after me, a typical home girl. And as for boys—she can’t see ’em.” “Nero has a heart of gold. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” “Nobody can say that my little Attila started a fight. He’s a perfect little gentleman.” “My little boy is going to be president some day. Aren't you, Benedict, dear?” comicbooks.com