r, for
queen this year. Whoever agrees with me, say Aye."

Quite a shout went up from all the Asters; and the late Clovers and
Buttercups joined in it, for they were honest, sensible flowers, and
liked fair play. To their great delight the Pitcher-plant, or
Forefathers' Cup, said "Aye" most decidedly, and that impressed all the
other plants; for this fine family came over in the "Mayflower," and was
much honored everywhere.

But the proud Cardinals by the brook blushed with shame at the idea of a
queen; the Fringed Gentians shut their blue eyes that they might not see
the bold Asters; and Clematis fainted away in the grass, she was so
shocked. The Golden-rods laughed scornfully, and were much amused at the
suggestion to put them off the throne where they had ruled so long.

"Let those discontented Asters try it," they said. "No one will vote for
that foolish Violet, and things will go on as they always have done; so,
dear friends, don't be troubled, but help us elect our handsome cousin
who was born in the palace this year."

In the middle of the meadow stood a beautiful maple, and at its foot lay
a large rock overgrown by a wild grape-vine. All kinds of flowers
sprung up here; and this autumn a tall spray of Golden-rod and a lovely
violet Aster grew almost side by side, with only a screen of ferns
between them. This was called the palace; and seeing their cousin there
made the Asters feel that their turn had come, and many of the other
flowers agreed with them that a change of rulers ought to be made for
the good of the kingdom.

So when the day came to choose, there was great excitement as the wind
went about collecting the votes. The Golden-rods, Cardinals, Gentians,
Clematis, and Bitter-sweet voted for the Prince, as they called the
handsome fellow by the rock. All the Asters, Buttercups, Clovers, and
Pitcher-plants voted for Violet; and to the surprise of the meadow the
Maple dropped a leaf, and the Rock gave a bit of lichen for her also.
They seldom took part in the affairs of the flower people,--the tree
living so high above them, busy with its own music, and the rock being
so old that it seemed lost in meditation most of the time; but they
liked the idea of a queen (for one was a poet, the other a
philosopher), and both believed in gentle Violet.

Their votes won the day, and with loud rejoicing by her friends she was
proclaimed queen of the meadow and welcomed to her throne.

"We will never go to Court