ver, smoothed and patted the rich soil, and then
planted their seeds.

Of course, you know what happened next. There had to be waiting,
watching, weeding and watering. Most of the seeds sprouted and grew,
and soon the dark brown earth was covered by green shoots and trailing
sprays.

By and by, buds began to appear and tiny bits of color to show, and
then how happy the little girls were!

All but Enid. She was pleased, but also a little disappointed.

Now, it so happened, that Ruth's "Surprise Collection" turned out to
be pansies, asters, phlox and ragged sailors--all posies of bright
pink, purple and crimson in various shades. Amy's garden plot was gay
with marigolds, four-o'clocks, larkspurs, and bachelor's-buttons--all
orange and yellow, blue and purple.

[Illustration: Enid was pleased.]

But Enid's flowers were nearly all white, and it was truly a surprise,
though not a very agreeable one. She had white verbenas, sweet
alyssum, candytuft, daisies and gillyflowers.

Consequently, her flower bed did not attract as much attention from
the passers-by as did the gay ones of her sisters.

"Anyhow, almost all my posies are sweet-smelling," the little girl
said, trying her best to be contented. For, after all, to own flowers,
every one of which was fragrant, was a comfort.

Then, there came another comfort--a real "surprise" comfort. Late one
evening, after the family had been away all day, attending the
Sunday-school picnic, and drove home in the moonlight, what do you
suppose they saw as they turned in at the gateway? Why, there on the
lawn, was a great circle of white, gleaming like frosted silver.

"Wonder if a sheet has blown off the clothesline," said grandma.

"Oh, it isn't a sheet--it's my flower bed! It's my dear, darling white
posies!"

And, sure enough, the white flowers could be seen in the dark, when
all the gay reds and yellows and blues and purples were dim and dull.

Enid felt very happy.

"I like 'surprise collections' you can see at night," she said.

* * * * *

TRUE LOVE.

"How much I love, you, mother dear,"
A little prattler said;
"I love you in the morning bright,
And when I go to bed.

"I love you when I'm near to you,
And when I'm far away;
I love you when I am at work,
And when I am at play."

And then she shyly, sweetly raised
Her loving eyes of blue--
"I love you when you lo