.L RAMPTON-AMONG-THIE-ROSES.

leaves, all ready snipped at the edges, after the old
pattern which has never been improved. She always
felt comforted when the bees came buzzing around
her, to talk to during their many wanderings in
search of flowers, for she had often heard men bid
one another cheer up," and say that when things
come to the worst they are sure to- mend," and her
own experience had taught her "that the longest
lane comes to an end."
 Though but little, she did all the good in her
power, and nursed the lambs, and weeded the flowers,
and picked the dead leaves off the rose-bushes, and
gave them room enough to fill the eye with beauty,
and the air with sweetness; and it seemed to her
that one insect told another of the pretty flowers she
had in store for them, that the bees went humming to
the butterflies, telling them when they were passing
by that way to alight and hover round; and many a
golden-belted bee came to visit her, and made a
pleasant murmur, while the deep-dyed dragon-flies
kept darting to and fro.
 So the little lady frequented the old Manor House
garden, who loved all dumb things that God had
created, and when she saw them she began to wonder
why the bushes bare no roses, and set to and hunted
about for the cause, which she soon found out
Then she consulted with the good old gardener again,
who was always kind to her, and he dug and delved
about, and cleared away all the noisome weeds, and
let in the silver showers and the golden sunshine,
and the sweet air of heaven, which blew through the
branches, and made the slender sprays dance for joy;
for there were no longer any weeds crowding around
her flowers to keep off the cheering sunshine and leaf-
stirring breeze; and though they did not bear much