28 MARY'S GARDEN AND HOW IT GREW 



ding joyously in the rough March wind. "It is a 

 dear one, this first baby of the year, so dainty and 

 so brave, too ! " 



"Could n't I have one ? " begged the under-gardener. 



"Certainly, certainly, little one yes, yes ; take a 

 little bunch of them. But I like better, myself, to 

 look at them here. See how dainty the little stalks 

 are so strong, yet so slight ; and see how prettily 

 the little bell is balanced, and look inside the pretty 

 bell and see the fine little lines of green is it not 

 lovely?" 



"How does it ever come up through the ground 

 without getting a bit mussed? " asked Mary, looking 

 wonderingly at the slender little flower. 



"You see that white tip at the end of the leaf? 

 It is very hard." 



Mary nodded. 



"Yes. Well, when it is ready to come up through 

 the ground, the leaf is folded and rolled tightly, and 

 the little snowdrop is curled safe inside, and the 

 hard, white point of the leaf pushes and bores its 

 way through the earth ; that is the way it comes up. 

 Do you know the story about the snowdrop?" 



"No, I never heard it. Tell me, Mr. Trommel," 

 she begged. 



