BRAMPTON-AMONG-THE-ROSES,

would hang on the sprays to cluster round and shelter
the infant rose-buds that would nestle in their centre;
for Nature is a kind mother, and nurses tenderly all
the baby-buds committed to her care. Were there a
brief burst of sunshine, and the snow not lying too
deep on My Lady's Walk, Christabel would be sure
to visit her new rose-tree during the day, and great
was her delight when she saw the first spring leaves
putting forth at the end of February, and found two
ladybirds-nearly the first insects that appear-settled
on one of the stems. Then she got Jacob to sow a
few pinches of mignonette seed, and plant a few ten-
weeks' stocks, and wallflowers that showed for bloom
when they were removed, here and there at irregular
distances all round the rose-tree, so that where the
bees only found groundsel, chickweed, shepherd's
purse, and dandelions to buzz about, they might have
sweet flowers to hum among, and honey to enrich
their hives weeks before the roses were in bloom.
 Her kind father and old Jacob moved a garden-
seat, of pretty rustic work, under a low-growing tree
with drooping branches, that stood behind her favourite
rose-bush, and formed quite a pleasant bower, without
over-shadowing the shrub after the gardener had cut off
a few projecting boughs that faced the sunny south; and
here she would sit for a long hour at a time, watching
the insects as they flew in and out among the flowers.
She was very clever at twining wreaths of flowers and
placing them tastefully in her hat; and as Jacob was
constantly gathering them for her, and bringing them
to the rustic seat, and as she knew it pleased the kind
old man to see her.wear them, she made herself a fresh
wreath every day, and this no doubt was the principal
cause of so many beautiful insects hovering around
her.