Seems to be Flourishing

Last week we were looking through my in-laws' copy of Cologne: The First 100 Years, the book commemorating Cologne's history from 1881 to 1981. (The topic that started this trip through history is explained in a future link here.) After we thoroughly exhausted that topic, I casually paged through the book, enjoying the time capsule of photographs. Then I was halted by this:

Left to Right: Giant Bank Fern, bank employees Clara Morhbacher Eiden and George Bell.
Bank customers John Roufs and Hubert Tellers.

Holy giant fern, Batman! Just look at that thing! It's enormous! I've never seen any fern (this one is most likely a Boston fern) that huge unless it was in a conservatory! It won't be long before you hear an odd, faint "Feed me!" coming from it and the fronds start raising like tentacles. Poor Clara seems a little uneasy being so near it, Mr. Bell is leaning away, John is putting on a brave front but is ready to run at the first sign of trouble, and even Hubert with his impressive mustache is leaving a wide berth.

While I was still agog over the monster Boston fern, I glanced up at the photo above it:

Left to Right: George Bell, Baby Bank Fern.

Do you see it? Up on top of the tellers' cage? That monstrous fern started out as that little, spindly scrap of a cutting. And how long do you suppose it took that scrap of a fern to become Monster Fern? Twenty? Thirty-five? The photo with the young fern was taken in 1914, the other in 1925. Only eleven years.

Another thing I got a kick out of was the caption:
"....The first picture was taken about 1914. We call your attention to the fern on top of the tellers cage. The second picture.....was taken in 1925. Business, as well as the fern, seems to be flourishing."

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For added fun, look for other comparisons between the photos, especially the calendars, other flower pots, signs. Keep an eye out for the spittoon!

photos courtesy of Cologne: The First 100 Years, page 102.