Leaf Eighth
MELTED





LEAF FIRST

THE BACHELOR'S-BUTTONS


Yes, I truly think that in all the world there is nothing so dead
as a young widow's deceased husband, and God ought to give His wisest
man-angel special charge concerning looking after her and the devil at
the same time. They both need it! I don't know how all this is going to
end and I wish my mind wasn't in a kind of tingle. However, I'll do the
best I can and not hold myself at all responsible for myself, and then
who will there be to blame?

There are a great many kinds of good-feeling in this world, from radiant
joy down to perfect bliss, but this spring I have got an attack of just
old-fashioned happiness that looks as if it might become chronic.

I am so happy that I planted my garden all crooked, my eyes upon the
clouds with the birds sailing against them, and when I became conscious
I found wicked flaunting poppies sprouted right up against the sweet
modest clover-pinks, while the whole paper of bachelor's-buttons was
sowed over everything--which I immediately began to dig right up again,
blushing furiously to myself over the trowel, and glad that I had caught