GARDENS AND GOSSIPS 
humor of life as observed from their own particular 
standpoint. 
Later on, the young girls, back from school on sum¬ 
mer holidays, have a world of information to impart to 
each other in the safe company of the flowers, where no 
one will intrude upon them. Down there in the arbor 
under the honeysuckle the two heads bend close to¬ 
gether over confidences that are no doubt rather foolish, 
gaged by our standards, but which are very necessary 
to the adolescent heart. Not all foolish, either. Some 
of the talk of these young creatures is filled with fine 
ambitions and noble dedications. There will be a good 
deal of silly sentimentality on boys and parties and the 
pretty frippery of clothes, and why not ? But there will 
also be discussions full of purpose and hope and dawn¬ 
ing knowledge. Emerson will get quoted and pages 
be read aloud in which high matters are spoken of and 
great aims set. Possibly the tackle forged in these 
long, intimate chats between a couple of girls, these 
chains that are so securely to hitch the wagon to its 
star, will prove frail as silver paper in the coming stress 
of life. Never mind! The starshine was clear enough 
for a while, at least, and the two maidens will hardly be 
able to think, in after days, of the hours in the old 
arbor without a rush of tenderness. Reality may have 
turned out to be different from their shimmering fore¬ 
casts, but they will never regret having made them, or 
having believed in them. 
