AMONG THE DAISIES.
GOLDEN MOMENTS BRIGHT STORIES FOR YOUNG FOLKS FULLY ILLUSTRATED  BOSTON DE WOLFE, FISKE AND COMPANY 361 and 365 Washington Street |
SOPHIE'S ROSES.
Fräulein Hoffman always gave the girls at her school a holiday on thetenth of June. It was her birthday; and though the old lady would notallow her pupils to make her any presents, saying, in her firm manner,"Such things speedily become a tax, my dears," yet she was alwayspleased that they should decorate the schoolrooms in her honor, and hanga handsome wreath round her father's picture.
So on the evening before the birthday the day-girls would bring basketsof flowers, and the big schoolroom table was brought out into thegarden, and there the wreaths and garlands were made amid muchchattering and laughing by the happy children.
"There," said Marie Schmidt, with a satisfied smile, as she held up alarge wreath for general admiration. "That's finished at last! and Iflatter myself that the old gentleman never had so handsome a decorationin his lifetime as I have now made for his picture."
The girls laughed; but gentle Adela Righton, the only English girl atthe school, said quietly, "Take care, Marie; Fräulein Hoffman might hearyou, and it would hurt her feelings to think that we were laughing ather father."
"I don't want to laugh at any one, you sober old Adela," returned thereckless Marie. "I only think the old gentleman's hooked nose and beadyblack eyes will look very well under my wreath of lilies and roses."
Adela said no more, for she saw that her words only excited Marie; andfortunately at that moment a diversion was created by a girl coming intothe garden with two immense baskets of cabbage-roses and whitemoss-buds.
"What! more flowers? Why could you not bring them sooner, you tiresomegirl?" exclaimed Lotta, who, having finished her garland for theschoolroom window, was more inclined for a romp than for any otherflower-wreathing.
"Throw them away! bury them in a hole!" said impetuous Marie, getting upand shaking the petals off her dress. "We've done the wreaths now,Sophie, so your flowers have come too late. I'll tell you what, though:we might fasten a rose to the end of Fanny's pig-tails, and then theywould indeed be rose-red."
"No, thank you, Marie: I prefer my pig-tails unadorned," said Fannygood-temperedly, for she was accustomed to jokes on her red hair.
"Throw the flowers on the grass, Sophie! we really can't begin againnow!" declared Marie. "I'm going to teach the girls a new game. Now,children, stand in a row. Now hold out your frocks and sing with me."And Marie, leaning against a tree, proceeded to give her orders, and,being somewhat blunt, did not notice the grieved look on S