d out by the weeds.
An' yet they're worth takin' trouble for, and if you once get 'em to
take root and grow they're fit to crown the finest Queen as ever was;
and they won't die either, but the more you use 'em the fresher and
sweeter they'll be. There's Love now; you can't understand anyone, not
the smallest child, without that. There's Truth; you can't do anything
with folks unless they trust you. There's Obedience; you can't rule
till you know how to serve. There's three plants for you, and there's a
whole lot more, but that's enough for you to bear in mind, and I must be
going along."

Joshua departed much satisfied with his eloquence, leaving Mrs White
equally impressed.

"Lor'!" she exclaimed, "there's a gifted man. It's every bit as good as
being in church to hear him. And I hope, Lilac, as how you'll lay it to
heart and mind it when you get to be a woman."

But Lilac did not feel in the least inclined to lay it to heart. She
was vexed with Uncle Joshua, who had not been the least help in her
perplexity; for once he had failed her, and she was glad he had gone
away so that she could think over a plan for to-morrow. It was of no
use evidently to reckon on white lilac any longer, the only thing to be
done now was to get up very early the next morning and pick the best
moon daisies she could find for Miss Ellen. This determination was so
strong within her when she fell asleep, that she woke with a sudden
start next morning as the daylight was just creeping through her
lattice. Had she overslept herself? No, it was beautifully early, it
must be an hour at least before her usual time. She dressed herself
quickly and quietly, so as not to disturb her mother in the next room,
and then pushing open her tiny window gave an anxious look at the
weather. Would it be fine? At present a thin misty grey veil was
spread over everything, but she could see the village below, which
looked fast, fast asleep, with no smoke from its chimneys and nothing
stirring. There was such a stillness everywhere that it seemed wrong to
make a noise, as though you were in church. And the birds felt it too,
for they twittered in a subdued manner, keeping back their full burst of
song to greet someone who would come presently. Lilac knew who that
was. She knew as well as the birds that very soon the sun would thrust
away the misty veil and show his beaming face to the valley. It would
be fine. It was May Day, and she was Queen