Page:Through the torii (IA throughtorii00noguiala).pdf/101

 highest possible when they turn to fragrance; the flowers gained it by sacrifice of the bodily beauty, Oh, what a fragrance! If there is any flower that shows the utmost economy of force, it is the plum-blossom, If they exist, they exist in suggestion; they are not the flowers of display like the cherry-blossom or camellia, They are suggestive: therefore they are strong. They are the Oriental flower through and through, and, above all, the gentleman of flowers of the East—simple, brave, economical, true and suggestive.

I always come to a plum orchard at the Proper season, not only to admire them but to gain the spiritual lesson. Our forefathers used the flowers and trees to advantage asan abject-lesson, as it is was not the day of text-books; and I hate to learn from the books, and come to the plum-blossom to improve my thoughts, and always feel happy that I have leamed something of them. Rh