334 MY COUNTRY WANDERINGS 



comparing notes. So much was this pursued, 

 that — fond of sport as they both were — on more 

 than one occasion the Partridges passed them 

 unheeded. Said the host later on to one of his 

 friends, " What on earth do you think A and B, 

 who are generally so keen, had got of such im- 

 portance to talk about together ? It was all about 

 Roses!" 



And so it was with Smith and Brown, only more 

 so. At work, and away from work, the Wars 

 of the Roses waged fast and furious. People 

 remarked upon the great friendship of the two 

 budding rosarians. Many who were not " in the 

 know " could not for the life of them understand 

 their animated conversations, and whatever it all 

 meant! Various Rose-gardens in the neighbour- 

 hood were visited by Smith and Brown, the local 

 nurserymen were pestered to distraction point 

 by the frequency of the visits paid to them; the 

 Rose fever was entering on a very acute stage of 

 development. 



At last, the Summer being on the wane, the order 

 for the trees was made up and despatched to a 

 well-known firm. Even this was not agreed upon 

 without great deliberation and much discussion. 

 Whilst one contended that such a firm was the 

 most reliable, the other negatived the contentions 

 as ridiculous! However, at last they agreed, and 

 the order was despatched, with strict instructions 



