wrote to Mrs. Going we'd a frost of ten degrees--and I got
neuralgia back--and made a dismal picture in my own mind of your good
things coming to an iron-bound border--and an Under Gardener deeply
_died down_ under eider down and blankets--(even my old labourer being
laid up with sore throat and scroomaticks!--but lo and behold, on
Monday the air became like new milk--I became like a new Under
Gardener--and leave was given to go out. (I am bound to confess that I
don't think rose-planting was medically contemplated!) Fortunately the
border was ready and well-manured--I only had to dig holes in very
soft stuff--but I am very weak, and my stamping powers are never on at
all a Nasmyth Hammer sort of scale--but--good luck again!--Major
Ewing's orderly arrived with papers to sign--a magnificent individual
over six foot--with larger boots than mine and a coal-black
melodramatic moustache! Had the Major been present--I should not have
dared to ask an orderly in full dress and on duty to defile his boots
among Zomerset red-earth, but as I caught him alone I begged his
assistance. He looked down very superbly upon me (swathed in fur and
woollen shawls, and staggering under a full-sized garden fork) with a
twinkle in his eye that prepared me for the least taste of brogue
which kept breaking through his studied fine language--and consented
most affably. I wish you'd seen him--balancing his figure with a
consciousness of maids at the kitchen window, his cane held out,
_toeing_ and _heeling_ your roses into their places!! He assured me he
understood all about it, and he trode them in very nicely!

How good of you to have sent me such a stock,--and the pansies I
wanted. The flower of that lovely mauve and purple one is on the table
by me now. _One_ (only one) of your other roses died--the second
Gloire near the front door--so when I saw it was hopeless I had that
border "picked" up--a very rockery of rubbish came out--good stuff was
put in, and one of the Souvenirs de Malmaison is now comfortably
established there I hope. This wet weather keeps me a prisoner
now--but it is good luck for the roses to settle in. I have had some
nice scraps and remains of flowers to cheer me indoors--there are one
or two late rosebuds yet!

They are such a pleasure to me--and I am indeed grateful to you for
all you have done for my garden! Some of those roses I bought have
thrown up hugely long shoots. They were all small plants as you
know--so I cut