The Happy Garden 



was once a district visitor and has never recovered) 

 — and shows such a firm determination to take up 

 her quarters there that at last Mrs. Gardener has 

 to say that things are rather crowded as they are, 

 though she would be only too delighted to have 

 Mrs. Smith as a paying guest, were it not that all 

 the available space is needed for a future Miss 

 Gardener. 



She blushes so prettily as she says it, and is so 

 shy and timid that I laugh outright and take my 

 offending Jane away, and leave after Master 

 Gardener has given my hand one last suck. Bless 

 him ! 



With Jane away, I feel safer and relieved, 

 though, having invented Jane for a certain 

 purpose, I am bound to it : and having invented 



a sort of Early Victorian Jane, who is all 



conscience, my conscience becomes active too. 



Jane has claims upon me and must be satisfied ; 



but she shall go the very longest way round, and 



I refuse to spare her. 



She has seen the kennel, but I think she did 



not see the water-butt, and I am sure she did not 



sufficiently admire the thick hedge of fir and spruce 



cut to half the height of the trees. 



It is hardly necessary for her to see the garden 



rollers or the shed where the games live ; almost 



90 



