114 JUNE 



" It ain't no good-on to talk about moving these 

 here into the greenhouse," he will say about Sep- 

 tember, a propos of no remark of mine ; " for not a 

 step will they go for the next two months if / can 

 help it." 



This is the good Sterculus's way of showing me 

 that he has learnt his lesson. I ought to point out 

 to him that he is mistaken in assuming that I want 

 to coddle the cinerarias. I ought to put a stop to 

 his domineering tone of voice ; I ought, in fact, 

 to " keep him in his place," as Mrs. Clifford is fond 

 of telling me. But I am still glad of him, and 

 I know he is glad of me, in spite of his peculiar 

 way of showing it. So I accept his scorn, being 

 meek as a mouse the while, and look as though I 

 had learnt a valuable lesson from him, while he goes 

 away grunting that he isn't going to ruin his plants, 

 not for nobody. I wonder if I shall always be glad 

 of Sterculus, or if I may not perchance some day 

 contemplate with satisfaction the idea of his de- 

 parture, loving tender of my garden though he is. 



