POPULAR TALES OF FLOWERS. 
THE LADY IN THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 
The Lady walked through her garden in the early morn- 
ing, and she smiled upon her flowers as she passed by ; 
so they looked up and smiled too. 
Who was the Lady? 
I do not know. She had come from far away, and 
called her garden her home; and her flowers were her 
mother and sisters, she said. The garden was very beau- 
tiful at all times; but on this morning the flowers were 
more so than usual, for they had not laid aside the holiday 
robes with which they had adorned themselves for the 
Sabbath — for this was Monday. 
“ The Lady has not looked at me once, ’ ’ said a Scarlet 
Pea near which she stood. “ She loves my cousin so 
much better ! See how she stands and pets her, and puts 
down her red lips to be kissed ! Ah ! but I wish she cared 
for me.'^ 
The Lady was grieved when she heard this, and she 
said to herself, “ Oh ! I must not again neglect my Scarlet 
Pea, for I would not willingly wound her; besides, I want 
to gain her affections, that I may persuade her to mount 
upward, rather than thus trail upon the ground." 
Thus thinking, the Lady passed on, and quite forgot 
that she had not said good-morning to her little friend, 
her beloved mignonette. 
“There, miss!" said the Scarlet Pea, “the Lady is al- 
ways pretending to find great delight in your society, and 
now she has passed you by without even saying good- 
morning." 
