e library and sat down in a low chair, throwing
off her garden-hat, and beginning to arrange the wild flowers which she
held in her hands around the crown.

"What color is this, Tom?" she asked, holding up a delicate purple
blossom that drooped its head, as if faint with its own perfume.

Tom's ignorance of color was a never-failing source of amusement to her.
He looked at the flower very seriously; then after reflection said, in
the tone of a man who was certain of being perfectly correct for once:

"That's blue, of course; I am not quite blind, whatever you may think."

Elsie screamed with delight.

"Oh, you delicious old goose! I suppose you call this one pink?"

"Yes," said Tom, confident that he must be right this time; "I suppose
the most prejudiced person would have to call that pink."

"It's the most delicate lavender," cried Elsie, in fresh shrieks of
ecstasy at Tom's blindness. "Oh, I never saw such a stupid in all my
life."

Tom rubbed his forehead for an instant, then Elsie's laughter proved so
contagious that he burst into merriment as hearty as her own.

"I don't suppose," said Tom, "there's such an idiot on the face of the
earth as I am."

"I really don't suppose there is," replied Elsie, candidly.

"It is absolutely beyond belief," said Tom.

"It is," answered Elsie.

"And I shall never be any better," cried Tom.

"I have told you so a thousand times," rejoined Elsie, humming a tune,
inclined to perfect truthfulness for once.

Tom's face lengthened for an instant, he gave his hair another
unmerciful combing with his fingers.

"And you think there's not the least help for it?"

"Not the very least in the world, Tom, not a gleam of hope! But don't
feel bad about it; I am tired of brilliant men; everybody is something
wonderful now-a-days; it's really fatiguing."

"Do you think so?" demanded he; "do you really?"

"Upon my honor."

"Then I'm glad I am a donkey," said Tom, energetically.

"And so am I," returned Elsie. "There, see, isn't that a lovely wreath?"

She held up the hat for Tom to scent the delicious fragrance of the
garland twisted around it.

"You take the color quite out of them, holding them near your cheeks,"
said Tom, with a glance of admiration.

"I declare you are getting complimentary! You shall have a wild rosebud
for your button-hole in payment; kneel down here, while I put it in."

Tom dropped on his knees while Elsie leisurely selected the flower. She
was