Outside the swallows were twittering, and, like all the other birds, were fussing about their small families. The distant hills were glowing crimson by the acre where the timber had been cut, I knew it was myriads and myriads of foxgloves. Near at hand the Flower-Patch was a mass of nodding blossoms, coupled, with a choice variety of weeds. I wondered where I had better begin, and how I should cope with the bindweed, flaunting itself everywhere that it had no business to be. Had I better start the handy man on it at once, or would it be better to set him to cut the hedges?
But even as I was planning out a good week’s work for him, I saw him coming up the path, a picturesque figure in a blue jersey, a large, shady, rush hat, and carrying, as signs of office, a pitch-fork, a scythe, and a rake; and I heard his voice in the garden speaking to the Head of Affairs: “Good-day to ’ee, sir. I’m main glad to see ’ee, for I calkerlate as how in future I takes my orders from the master.”
printed in great britain by
William Clowes and Sons, Limited,
stamford street, london, s.e.
Transcriber’s Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired. Varied hyphenation was retained as printed.
Page 32, “it” changed to “in” and word “on” added to text (put in; she merely told him to pack them up very securely, as she was going on a long railway)
Page 35, “georgeous” changed to “gorgeous” (with some gorgeous pansies)
Page 112, “crepe” changed to “crêpe” (trimmed with crêpe)