LARKSPURS AND HOLLYHOCKS 63 



by the phlox. &quot;I saw a lady-slipper bud al 

 most out to-day,&quot; he said. 



&quot;Did you? Look at my sweet alyssum. 

 It s grown an inch since yesterday,&quot; I said. 

 &quot;Don t you think I could plant my cosmos 

 and asters now?&quot; 



&quot;Thunder!&quot; said Jonathan; &quot;don t you 

 care more about the pink lady-slipper than 

 about your blooming little sweet alyssum? &quot; 



&quot;Why, yes, of course. I love lady-slippers. 

 You know I do,&quot; I protested; &quot;only you 

 see I can t explain exactly but it 

 seems to make a difference when you plant a 

 thing yourself. And, oh, Jonathan! Won t 

 you please come here and tell me if these are 

 young pansies or only plantain? I m so 

 afraid of pulling up the wrong thing. I do 

 wish somebody would make a book with pict 

 ures of all the cotyledons of all the different 

 plants. It s so confusing. Millie had an awful 

 time telling marigold from ragweed last sum 

 mer. She had to break off a tip of each leaf 

 and taste it. Why do you just stand there 

 looking like that? Please come and help.&quot; 



But Jonathan did not move. He stood, 

 leaning on his wheel, regarding me with open 



