“And me!” said the Bachelor’s Button in a deep masculine voice.
“And me!” repeated a dudish-looking Dandelion, at whose comical dress the girls couldn’t help smiling, for he was rigged up in the height of an old-fashioned style, with a high collar and a knotted green tie; with “pumps” on his feet—and he carried a grass-blade cane!
“I know they love me!” There stood Black-eyed Susan, with arms akimbo.
“We’ve loved you for years!” declared the girls.
“Here comes that Everlasting Flower!” exclaimed Dandelion.
“What a way to speak!” whispered Eleanor; but the speech of Dandelion was soon explained when a crisp Strawflower, or “Everlasting,” came stiffly in.
“Everlastingly late,” said the new-comer dryly, “but nothing like so common as some flowers,” glancing at Dandelion.
“Don’t disgrace the family by quarreling,” warned the big Sunflower.
“It’s so hard to keep such a big family straight,” he said with a sigh, yet he went on proudly, “You see, ours is the very largest flower family. There are from 11,000 to 12,000 members of the Sunflower or Composite Family.”