JUNE 139 



that the mistress of the strip of garden in 

 which the button-roses grew would come out 

 from the prim house door and break off a 

 branch for me. The house door never opened, 

 and the miracle never eventuated. Once I 

 saw her stepping about among her flower beds, 

 her skirts held forbiddingly about her slender 

 figure. Linen mitts covered her long hands, 

 and a sunbonnet hid her face. Evidently she 

 did not belong to the order of old ladies whom 

 children of my day ever ventured to address, 

 but as my desire had never even dreamed 

 of fulfilment, and as Opportunity and I had 

 never met before, I choked back the lump in 

 my throat in order to be able when the 

 expected moment arrived to express my 

 thanks properly. 



"Now," thought I, "she is going to say: 

 'Little girl, would you like to have a button- 

 rose ? ' " 



A lifelong love and gratitude was ready for 

 her had she but so spoken. No ; all she said 

 was : 



" I do not like to have children hang on my 

 fence." 



Whereat I climbed down and fled. There 



