THE OLD WLAN AND HIS GARDEN 271 
quiet attentions had no small effect upon the aristocratic 
beauty. How pleased and how happy the Buttercup 
looked; and how lovingly the Lady bade good-morning 
to both! 
But even while she was rejoicing over them, the Tulip 
was removed to another garden, and the Moss Rose began 
to droop and to hang its head as if in pain, upon its stalk, 
and the fragrance of the beloved Mignonnette was borne 
by new breezes to a far-off region. The Lady shed no 
tears ; but when she came to her garden again, and looked 
at the vacant places, her heart was full of the pain which 
tears would have relieved, and her face was sad even when 
she smiled. 
When the Scotch Thistle saw that the Lady was sad, 
she said to herself, “ Now will I console and comfort her 
by my gentlest tones.” So she spake in the low, soft 
voice which those love who have heard it, and no longer 
met the offered hand of the Lady with pretended indiffer- 
ence and stinging thorns. And she spake to the Scarlet 
Pea kind, beseeching words, in the early morning and in 
the still evening, till that strange, wild thing grew serious 
and thoughtful, and at last began with right good will to 
clasp her uplifted arms around the framework on which 
she was to ascend upwards — how far more beautiful and 
lovely now than in the days of her earthward creepings 
and stick-embracings ! 
And now that she had left room for her to do so, a 
little flower, a loving, winning Pink Sweet Pea, who had 
been almost lost to sight by the overwhelming leaves and 
tendrils of her unruly cousin, began to be seen and appre- 
ciated; and the heart of the Lady opened to bid her wel- 
come, as if she had but just begun to know her aright. 
THE OLD MAN AND HIS GARDEN. 
Having been advised by my physician to take a temporary 
residence in a village at some distance from my native 
city, I amused myself while there with frequent walks 
through its retired streets and lanes. While the natural 
