Robin Hood's Barn 



restrictions, it represents an admirable effort to 

 harmonize and to subdue. But it is my one fling 

 at estheticism and my guests must look ahead; 

 for behind them — I hope safely — ^is a gorgeous 

 patch of zinnias. If they tiu^n, they will ask me 

 in a moment, their reproof veiled with politeness, 

 if I have never tried the pastel shades. Nor will 

 any protestations on my part that to me a zinnia 

 bed looks peaked when it is put on diet, reinstate 

 me as a person of good taste. Have they not as 

 evidence against me those tawny oranges and duU 

 magentas? If I like them in their garishness, 

 their place is in the cutting garden, not where 

 in the early morning I may see them flaunting 

 in the sunhght, the bumblebees tumbling over 

 their great scarlet cones. 



When my guests pass through the arch, more- 

 over, and come upon my yellow border, I must 

 follow close at heel. Even as it is the chances are 

 that they will overlook my Iceland poppies, the 

 primroses and yellow loosestrife, all proper gar- 

 den flowers. Their eyes will fall with disap- 

 prqyal on the tarnished gold of tansy or the black- 

 eyed Susans which they will think have wan- 



[102] 



