•^ The Scented Qarden ^ 



and importance of this curious garment, which consisted 

 of a whole array of flat, envelope-like receptacles, into 

 which she slipped anything and everything she needed. 

 A trowel and a small hand- fork, for instance, disappeared 

 easily into those capacious depths, to say nothing of such 

 trifles as stale bread for the ducks, corn for the pigeons, 

 etc. Most people would find it difficult to walk gracefully 

 with trowels and such knocking their ankles, but these 

 impedimenta never seemed to interfere with her quick, 

 yet dignified movements. I never remember her carrying 

 anything in her hands except flowers, fruit, or the candle 

 lantern she took to light her way to church on winter 

 evenings. 



The process of furnishing her Pocket was usually done 

 in the garden-room. Like most garden-rooms, that was 

 a wholly delightful place. Comfortable, worn old chairs, 

 a long table used for arranging flowers and countless 

 other processes, a rocking chair which rocked to such a 

 pitch that it was a joy for ever, a large desk containing 

 many treasured recipes, and all those fascinating odds 

 and ends which seem to collect themselves in old desks, 

 and which are so much more attractive to childhood 

 than any toys. I wonder what manner of folk invented 

 those entrancing fittings in the desks and work-boxes of 

 Victorian days. Amongst my great-aunt's numerous gifts 

 to me was a work-box, a treasure indeed, for it had be- 

 longed to her mother. The outside and all the trays and 

 lids, etc., are entirely inlaid with ebony, silver and ivory 

 in a tiny intricate pattern, and inside the partitions are 

 fitted with those little ivory objects of which no one 

 nowadays seems to know the use. What, for instance, 

 are these little ivory barrels with tops which screw on 

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