144 THE GARDEN OF A 



of gardeners and tradition, mother planted them in 

 sunny, rich soil instead of letting them starve and 

 dwindle in the shade. They grow south from the 

 apple tree thickly as the grass, their only limit being 

 the amount of room we can give them. 



Evan made a discovery early this morning when 

 the dull red light of the sun, falling between the 

 bare interlaced branches, drew traceries on the win- 

 dows, and shot long rays of the gorgeous shifting 

 hues of stained glass upon the floor, for the mo- 

 ment turning the plain frames into a latticed case- 

 ment. He saw that such was the slope of the land 

 that by cutting an opening through the thick maple 

 branches, the garden would lie before us like a 

 picture framed in leaves. 



Then a second idea, born of the tree shadows, is 

 a plan to replace the windows of the square shallow 

 bay with latticed casements, and under them a 

 low, broad window seat, from which we may enjoy 

 the garden from afar. 



The morning after my birthday the inevitable 

 conversation with Aunt Lot took place. Conver- 

 sation ? No, Interview is the word, an Interview 

 conducted on the parish visitor (inquisitor) lines. 



