CHAPTER XXV 



ST. john's-wort flowers and witches' work 



Yesterday was Sunday, and Mrs. Todd made 

 both Philip and Tommy drop into the plate at 

 church the money that Uncle Hiram had given 

 them for pulling up the Daisies and Black-eyed 

 Susans. Afterward I heard Philip telling Uncle 

 Hiram about it. He put his fingers in his beard 

 and said it might suit all parties just as well if he 

 got rid of the weeds by running the mowers over 

 them before they went to seed. I am beginning to 

 like Uncle Hiram. There is something kind about 

 him, and it makes me laugh to see him stroking 

 his beard in that slow, soft way, as though it were 

 a kitten. 



In the country June goes by very quickly. 

 This morning it is the twenty-fourth of June and 

 Herr Wilhelm Fritz asked me if I knew it hap- 

 pened to be St. John's day. I said " no," and 

 then I asked him why St. John had a day all to 

 himself. Herr Wilhelm Fritz said I could find 

 that out at Sunday-school, but that it had nothing 

 to do with what he had to tell me. 



" Der's a number of plants called St. John's- 

 wort," he said, " dat's named fur der goot man, 

 and dat all pegin ter ploom on dis day." 



IS8 



