36 A WHITE-PAPER GARDEN 



things. He fights violet battles ; he has snow- 

 ball wars. He gives balls at which the guests 

 come freshly and beautifully dressed from the 

 rows of hollyhocks, and from the beds of 

 balsams, and are feasted at tables spread with 

 cups cut from rose hips filled with wine turned 

 from water, and held in bottles made by patient 

 manipulations of the thin outer membranes of 

 the leaves of live-for-ever, and plates which were 

 acorn cups, and handsomely set out with mallow 

 cheeses. Larkspurs come into value when it 

 is discovered that their honey-horns may be 

 removed and strung together into the wreaths 

 which are found, sometimes, in after years, and 

 in alien places, among the leaves of forgotten 

 books. 



Phlox grows because of its great value as 

 necklace and bracelet making material : orna- 

 ments so necessary in the personal adornment 

 of the actresses in the dramas so easily arranged 

 if one have but a bit of sunlit turf for a stage, 

 and a lilac bush by way of withdrawing-room. 

 A thousand industries keep the child busy in 

 the summer garden, alive with elves and fairies, 

 and full of enchanted castles, with moat and 

 drawbridge all complete, and the relations there 



