MAKING A EOSE GARDEN 59 



when I make up the beds for my roses that Job made 

 a great mistake. Yes. When he found it necessary 

 to sit on the dung-heap, he should first have put some 

 earth over it and then planted roses on top. It 

 would have been good for the roses ; it would also 

 have made it much pleasanter for Job. Yes. 



"The roses, little one, are very dainty and delicate- 

 looking, but, like the' sweet peas, you can hardly give 

 them too much to eat. They like good food, and 

 ^plenty of it. It is only in the stories that the lady 

 looks very lovely and eats nothing ; we gardeners 

 know better, and I*think she in the story went 

 down the back stairs and found something to eat 

 some wurst or frankfurters when the man who told 

 the story knew nothing about it. 



" You see, Liebchen, the rose has been for years the 

 fine lady of the garden j the what do you say ? the 

 society lady yes ! She is also what they call exclu- 

 sive : she likes but to live with herself and other roses. 

 Then, she must have very rich food yes, and a great 

 many baths ; and she must have her beauty-sleep so 

 we cut back the branches, as you see ; and she does not 

 wish too many children to take care of, so we take off 

 many of the buds. She does not use the the cos- 

 metics, but she has her little toilet preparations." 



