“And now I have another idea,” said Thorsby, suddenly getting up, and fetching the water-lilies from the boat. Putting these down, he took Tom Boddily, and soon returned with an armful of flowers, meadow-sweet, forget-me-nots, like lapis lazuli; and by the aid of the ladies, and some strings of osier-bark, these were woven into garlands, which he said they would hang up in honour of this day. When they were finished, however, here and there interspersed with oak and hazel-leaves, Thorsby immediately proceeded to crown the ladies with them. Truly they looked very beautiful, and Thorsby was complimented on his taste. George, who had quietly gone aside, dexterously took off Letty’s garland, and put her on one of willow, in pretence that she was forsaken. Thorsby as quietly plucked it off, and replaced it by one of forget-me-nots, putting the willow on George’s head amid much mirth.
Betty Trapps, however, was indignant at the water-lilies, because, she said, they came out of deep water, which meant trouble; and, as for forget-me-nots, “It’s all wrong,” she added.
“All wrong!” exclaimed Thorsby. “Why, forget-me-nots are most poetical and significant. Everybody likes forget-me-nots.”
“Well, everybody doesn’t, for I don’t,” said Betty.
“Why, you don’t like true blue, then, Betty,” said Thorsby.
“True fiddlesticks!” said Betty; “don’t tell me about true blue.
‘Green’s forsaken,
Blue’s forsworn,
Pink’s the colour as should be worn,
Blue and yellow
The lads will follow,
Green and blue
Will never prove true,’
and you’ve got both in these garlands.”
“Why, that is a new philosophy,” said Thorsby.
“New philosophy it may be,” said Betty, “but it’s old truth; old as my great-grandmother, and older, I’ll be bound. It is true as Scripture, for it comes down from our old auncetters, and has proved its-sen true, or it wouldna have lasted till now.”