Old Flower Favorites 
191 
We can fancy how delighted all these Oriental 
shrubs and flowers were to meet after so many years 
of separation. What pleasant greetings all the 
cousins must have given each other ; I am sure the 
Wistaria was glad to see the Lilac, and the Fortune’s 
Yellow Rose was duly respectful to his old cousin, 
the thorny yellow Scotch Rose. And I seem to 
hear a bit of scandal passing from plant to plant ! 
Listen ! it is the Bleeding-heart gossiping with the 
Japanese Anemone : “ Well ! I never thought that 
Lilac girl would grow to be such a beauty. So 
much color ! Do you suppose it can be natural ? 
Mrs. Tulip hinted to me yesterday that the girl used 
fertilizers, and it certainly looks so. But she can’t 
say much herself — -I never saw such a change in 
any creatures as in those Tulips. You remember 
how commonplace their clothes were ? Now such ex- 
travagance ! Scores of gowns, and all made abroad, 
and at her age ! Here are you and I, my dear, both 
young, and we really ought to have more clothes. 
I haven’t a thing but this pink gown to put on. 
It’s lucky you had a white gown, for no one liked 
your pink one. Here comes Mrs. Rose! How 
those Rose children have grown ! I never should 
have known them / 1 
