ny white daisies, the St. Peter's wreath (_Van Houttei_) with the
clustered flowers like small white wild roses, two pink species,
Billardii and Anthony Waterer, beautiful if gathered before the flowers
open, as the colour fades quickly, and a little dwarf bush, Fortune's
white spirea, that I have seen at the florist's. Next the old-fashioned
purple lilac, that seems to hold its own against all newcomers for
garden use, the white tree lilac, the fragrant white mock orange or
syringa (_Coronarius_), the Japanese barberry of yellow flowers and
coral berries, the three deutzias, two being the tall _crenata_ and
_scabra_ and the third the charming low-growing _gracilis_, the
old-fashioned snowball or Guelder rose (_viburnum opulus sterilis_), the
weigelias, rose-pink and white, the white summer-flowering hydrangea
(_paniculata grandiflora_), and the brown-flowered, sweet-scented
strawberry shrub (_calycanthus floridus_).

"Truly a small slice from the loaf the catalogues offer," you say. Yes;
but you must remember that our wild nursery has a long chain to add to
these.

In looking over the list of shrubs, it seems to me that the majority of
them, like the early wild flowers, are white, but then it is almost as
impossible to have too many white flowers as too many green leaves.

_September 15._ I was prevented from finishing this until to-day, when I
have a new domestic event to relate. Maria, no longer a music mistress,
has leased the Opal Farm, it seems, and will remain with me this winter
pending the repairing of the house, which Amos Opie himself is to
superintend. I wish I could fathom the ins and outs of the matter, which
are not at present clear, but probably I shall know in time. Meanwhile,
I have Maria for a winter companion, and a mystery to solve and puzzle
about; is not this truly feminine bliss?

XVII

THE INS AND OUTS OF THE MATTER

Chronicled by the rays of light and sound waves upon the walls of the
house at Opal Farm.

PEOPLE INVOLVED

_The Man from Everywhere_, keeping bachelor's hall in the
eastern half of the farm home.

_Amos Opie_, living in the western half of the house, the separating
door being locked on his side.

_Maria Maxwell_, who, upon hearing Opie is again ill, has
dropped in to give him hot soup and medicine.

Amos Opie was more than usually uncomfortable this particular September
evening. It may have been either a rather sudden change in the weather
or th