34 THE GARDEN OF A 



even then in hospital talk, seriously thought of going 

 to battle with him as a nurse. 



Circumstances, however, prevented, the chief among 

 them being that there was no war at the time ; father, 

 to whom as a matter of course I confided my plans, 

 declined to go with us as surgeon, and what was the 

 use of a soldier to shoot people and a nurse with ban- 

 dages if there was no one there to cut off legs ? an 

 amputation being then my idea of the treatment to 

 be given all soldiers, while lastly at this juncture 

 Dan'l left home to work for a grocer at another 

 village. I saw him yesterday in town, delivering 

 goods at the hospital from a neat shiny wagon of his 

 own. Alas for intentions, chivalry, and the daring 

 soldier life ! The flowers of our childhood's friend- 

 ship have been more enduring, however. His last 

 gift was a small rosebush planted in a lard pail to 

 which he had given ventilation by perforating it with 

 small holes. 



" Granddad brought the bush this came off of from 

 Boston b'fore I was born and it's just bust itself 

 growing, and we've given away lots of cuttings ; but 

 this isn't any cutting, it's a regular year-old plant," 

 he said, as he thrust the pail at me. 



The plant proved to be a fragrant, clear white rose 

 with handsome dark foliage, the lovely Madame 



