I beg your pardon, Susette, says Fanchon: there is no one who can come before me but yourself; you have given up the rose, and I claim it. I here give notice, that to-morrow I shall wear a garland of roses; and, as we are all to be different, no one else is to dare to assume even a rose bud.

So violent an altercation then ensued between the rivals, that Madame Bulé thought it necessary to interfere; and requiring each of the rival ladies to declare the name of the flower she meant to adopt, she desired that no change of plans might henceforth be resorted to. She did not, however, insist upon the blue wreath being relinquished to Aimée, as I should have thought but just it was evident that she was under some dread of Susette and Fanchon, and was afraid of provoking them too far; and it certainly was not my business to interfere, neither did I think the matter of sufficient consequence to induce me so to do.

Susette accordingly declared again for her wreath of roses, while Fanchon adopted that of the azure creeper, which was in fact a most elegant ornament. Madame and I then withdrew;

but I had scarcely reached the garden gate on my way home, when I was overtaken by Aimée, who, placing her little hand within mine, said, My father, you walk out, I think, every morning before breakfast.

I do, my child, I answered.

Will you permit me to accompany you to-morrow? said the little girl. I have obtained permission from Madame. Will you take me to the forest?

Most willingly, I replied. But for what purpose, my child?

She smiled, and with a sweet innocent air, repeated these words of an ancient balled of her own province :

The garden is gay with the gaudy weed,

And attired like the jewell'd queen;
But the flowers of the forest are fair indeed,

Though oftimes doom'd to blow unseen.

The words, Charming little creature, what innocent device has that gentle bosom now conceived? were upon my lips; but I did not utter my thoughts, and simply answered, I will be at the garden gate before six o'clock to-morrow morning, my little fair one; be sure that you are punctual.

The dew was still upon the herbage, and glistened on every leaf, as I knocked at the garden gate; it was opened to me at the first signal by the little maiden, she ran out to me all prepared for her appointment, with a neat basket in her hand.

Good morning, fair one, I said; a blessing from above be upon my little girl! But whither are we to bend our steps?

To the forest, my father, she replied, where I know of certain deep shades in which those flowers grow of which I wish to make my garland. I only feared that some other person might have thought of these flowers of the forest, which are my delight, and have claimed a first right to them, but they have not entered into the mind of any one; and now no one can take them from me.

Oh! oh! I said, smilingly, you have, I see been acting a cunning part, my little one.

Cunning! she repeated: ah, Father Raffré, that is an ugly word; do not call me cunning. I would rather wear asphodel, than be called a cunning girl.

And why not wear a wreath of asphodel, I asked. 6*

Because it is bitter, very bitter, she replied. But, continued she, was there any harm in my thinking of a flower and not mentioning it, lest it should be chosen? I would not be cunning, indeed I would not, for the whole world; and I have no pretentions to that crown of myrtle which the lady is to bestow, indeed I have not; but I wished for my favourite flowers for a very particular reason.

What may be that very particular reason? I asked.

I will give you my reason, father, she answered, when you have seen my favourite flower; but I must tell you that the discourse you made to us about a fortnight since was what led me to think of these things; and then I remembered a hymn which I had learned when I lived at my happy home, and some things which my dear papa taught me when I was a very little child, and I put all these things together, and when I heard of the feast of the flowers, I then fixed upon the garland I should like to wear, though I did not suppose it would have been left for me. Indeed, my Aimée, I answered, you must be a little plainer before I can understand you;

please to explain yourself; of what things did my discourse lead you to think? and how was what I said connected with what your father had taught you, and with the hymn you had learned? Please to explain all these matters to

me.

You compared us, sir, replied the little girl, to so many flowers growing in the garden; and what my dear papa taught me when I was a little child was this, that the Church of God in this world is compared in the Bible to a garden, in which grow all sorts of beautiful plants and flowers; he taught me the very verses, and I have not forgotten them.

Repeat them, if you please, my dear child, I said: for although I confessed it not, I knew so so little of Scripture as to be utterly ignorant of that beautiful passage to which the child alluded. She immediately obeyed, and repeated what follows.

"A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard; spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees