COMMUTER'S WIFE 265 



there are birds of defective judgment as well as 

 people. This couple evidently were either young 

 and undecided, or for some other reason late in- 

 mating, and they did not build their nest between the 

 roots of a shrub or in a sturdy bush as well-conducted 

 song sparrows should do, but balanced it almost 

 at the end of a branch of a rose bush that would 

 surely bend over as the roses opened and grew heavy. 

 To-day the inevitable happened. A shower bent the 

 bush, and the eggs rolled out and were broken. I 

 reproach myself, for I should have tried to prop up 

 the nest, but I thought that they knew their business. 

 However, it is only June, and it may teach them to 

 plan better next time. 



June 30. The hardy border roses are practically 

 over, a great storm last night having scattered the 

 ripened bloom upon the ground in a foam of red, 

 white, and rose-coloured petals. The arbour has not 

 yet reached perfection, and the summer roses in the 

 four corner beds of the sun garden are sending up 

 strong shoots set thick with buds. 



We have made our list of satisfactory hardy, 

 fragrant roses that we have tested up to date. I will 

 write it in my Garden Boke so that I may not for- 

 get when people ask me about them. Some of the 

 bushes are now too old and woody to yield large 



