MAEY LEAKNS PRUNING 95 



"I had the crinkled ones in each hand," confided 

 Mary, "so you would be sure not to make a mistake." 



"That was well. Tell the good Norah," he added, 

 "that I have much enjoyed transporting her excellent 

 cookies. Now, Liebchen, we must to work. Tell me," 

 he demanded, fixing sternly inquiring spectacles on 

 the assistant's astonished face, "tell me, my child, 

 when would you cut back a shrub? Before it has 

 bloomed, or after, or when the flowers are on if? " 



Mary hesitated a moment. "If it was very pretty," 

 she said at last, "I think I could n't cut it until after 

 the flowers were gone, or a little faded, anyway." 



Mr. Trommel beamed approval. "That is right ; 

 a child knows that. But look in the next yard 

 those bushes just over the fence. He is a new fellow 

 there. He has just this year come out from the city. 

 It is possible that he may be a good man ; but look 

 at those forsythias ! You know the forsythia? " 



"The one with the little yellow bells?" asked 

 Mary. 



"Yes, yes. Now think of the wickedness, my 

 child," said Mr. Trommel, pointing at the unfortu- 

 nate shrubs, "The poor dears had been looking for- 

 ward all the year to the pretty yellow Easter dresses, 

 and see what he has done to "them ! Pruned them? 



