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.