COMMUTER'S WIFE 331 



solid hued bowl at dinner. In June, pink and white 

 rose sprays well mingled with ferns at breakfast, 

 the bowl of gorgeous crimson and rich pink roses 

 garlanded with honeysuckle for dinner. The 

 trouble is very slight, for each arrangement will 

 serve two days. 



In July and August water-lilies floating close 

 together in a flat glass dish of conventional lotus 

 shape were my morning motive; of course they 

 closed at noon. These only required renewing 

 semi-weekly, if I was careful to gather the freshly 

 opened flowers with stamens thrown widely back 

 to tell of their youth. 



In June, too, the common field daisies almost 

 rivalled the rose in usefulness, combining with 

 white and shell-pink poppies in the morning, while 

 what could be more fitting at midday than an old- 

 time blue jar filled with a* bouquet of daisies and 

 scarlet poppies edged with ribbon grass? 



The colour change can thus be rung endlessly, 

 every day and every rnood suggesting variations; 

 and so many lovely blossoms close at noon that 

 they must make their bow at breakfast table or 

 not at all, while others are only wide awake at night. 



I wondered if my men noticed this flower whim 

 of mine, for they said nothing. But then, men 



