COMMUTER'S WIFE 47 



soon. Oh, daddy, daddy, I don't believe, after all 

 these years even, you know exactly how I love 

 flowers and all the things that made the old home, 

 which are increased tenfold in the new. Evan does, 

 and that is the wonder of it, and the reason why he 

 is content to take up this life and help to make it 

 surer for me every day. The thought of what it all 

 means for the years to come goes singing through 

 my head even when I'm asleep. I want to do the 

 things, not have them done for me. You know you 

 always preach that babies brought up by servants 

 and led in after dinner are not at all the same things, 

 nor as lovable, as those cuddled and nursed by their 

 mothers. And it's the same way with a garden. 



" Of course I must have an animated shovel in the 

 person of a useful man, maybe a boy to do weeding 

 in the growing season ; and that reminds me that I 

 must ask Tim if he can't find me a man for to-mor- 

 row. We'll give Chris the rest of his month's wages 

 and let him go, won*t we, dear? for he is as im- 

 possible to gardening as a bump in a shoe to walk- 

 ing. And you need not have qualms, for he has 

 really dismissed himself." 



" Perhaps there is some one about the hospital I 

 could get," suggested father. 



"Daddy, dear," I begged, putting both arms 



