busy arranging a quantity of beautiful flowers, which had been
brought from Merton Hall, to decorate the Vicarage on this occasion.
Mrs. Woodbourne was sitting at her favourite little work-table,
engaged, as usual, with her delicate Berlin embroidery. A few of the
choicest of the flowers had been instantly chosen out for her, and
were placed on her table in a slender coloured glass, which she held
up to Elizabeth as she entered the room.

'Oh, how beautiful!' cried Elizabeth, advancing to the table, which
was strewn with a profusion of flowers. 'What delightful heliotrope
and geranium! Oh, Anne! how could you tear off such a branch of Cape
jessamine? that must have been your handiwork, you ruthless one.'

'Anne has been more kind to us than to her greenhouse,' said Mrs.
Woodbourne; 'I am afraid she has displeased Mr. Jenkins; but I hope
the plants are not seriously damaged.'

'Oh no, indeed,' said Anne, 'you should see the plants before you
pity them, Aunt Mildred; we never let Mr. Jenkins scold us for
helping ourselves or our friends out of our own garden, for making a
great glorious nosegay is a pleasure which I do not know how to
forego.'

'Do you call this a nosegay?' said Elizabeth, 'I call it a forest of
flowers. Really, a Consecration opens people's hearts;--I do not
mean that yours is not open enough on ordinary occasions, Aunt Anne;
but when the children took their walk in the alms-house court this
morning, they were loaded with flowers from all quarters, beginning
with old Mr. Dillon offering Winifred his best variegated dahlia, by
name Dod's Mary.'