ONLY A ROSE 295

Well, Henry came just before dinner, and the rest of the
day is a blank in my mind; but the next morning stands
out bright and clear. It was Sunday. After breakfast,
Marie and I were dressed for church, and, while Miss Ellis
was getting ready to go with us, we were all three allowed
to walk a while in the garden. It was a plain city yard,
with grassplot in the middle, bordered with a flower-bed
with fine rose-bushes in each corner. During the past few
days we had been watching the buds with great interest
(for it was June), and now, to our great joy, we found three
lovely new roses nestling amid the green. Our shouts of
delight brought Miss Ellis to the window.

After gently chiding us for making so much noise, Miss
Ellis told us (especially Gerty) not on any account to pick
the roses, for she wished the bush to look as beautiful as
possible when our parents should return. Marie and I saw
Gerty look wistfully up at the window, after Miss Ellis left it,
and then walk slowly toward the bush. We almost knew
that she meant to pick a rose (the very prettiest one of all)
hanging within reach of her chubby hand. Either Marie
or I could easily have prevented it ; but Mother’s wish was
forgotten. Was Marie “keeping faithful watch over her
sisters”? Was I “steady, keeping out of all mischief” ?
No! we both looked on—Marie indifferently, and I, filled
with mischievous glee, thinking of “the time” Miss Ellis
would make if Gerty should disobey her.

In a few moments the rose was pulled from its stem.
While we were looking at it, Miss Ellis came to the door
of the back piazza in plain sight of the blooming rose-bush,,.
which was still stirring after its tussle with Gerty.