Stray Leaves from a Border Garden 
June 13. — The Holly-trees are all covered with their dear 
little white flowers. There is an amusing local saying 
about an inveterate liar ! “ He only lees when the hollens 
are green.” We are suffering a good deal just now from 
drought this last week or ten days ; the flowers are 
hanging their heads and wilting. The Sweet Nancies are 
all over and the Rush Iris are small and puny looking. 
My Roses in the Rose-garden are covered with buds, 
but, alas ! also with orange-coloured blight. I picked 
some lovely Moss-roses to-day and some commoner pink 
Monthly Roses. China-roses is a prettier name for them, I 
think ; they always look as if made of china. I love Roses, 
and it seems difficult to believe in people disliking to see 
a Rose, even in a painting, as is recorded, I believe, of 
Catherine de Medicis, while Cardinal de Guise was said to 
faint if he smelt a Rose. 
I like the German 
LEGEND OF THE MOSS-ROSE 
Under a rosebush asleep one day, 
Behold the Angel of the Flowers lay, 
He to whom Heaven hath given command 
To care for all flowers throughout the land ; 
He was aweary with the summer’s heat, 
Under the Rose-tree the shade was sweet. 
After enjoying this sweet repose, 
The grateful Angel said to the Rose : 
“ What gift, O Rose, can I give to thee 
In return for the shelter thou gavest me? ” 
Hanging her head with blushing glow, 
The Queen of the Flowers murmured low : 
“ I would thank thee for another grace.” 
The Angel paused with thoughtful face ; 
What charm was there the Rose had not, 
What could he add to her peerless lot ? 
Then looked where he had lain to rest 
On moss as soft as mother’s breast, 
And a veil of moss he lightly throws 
O’er the blushing beauty of the Rose ! 
Our Gloire de Dijon Rose is rather backward this year, 
I have seen other trees in bloom elsewhere a week ago. 
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