“Mabel!”
“Well, mamma!”
“Come to breakfast, dearie.” The call was given through the wide
lattice which opened on the garden. And at once the little girl obeyed
the summons.
And what a charming picture was given when the child presented herself
in the half-open doorway, with her big blue eyes, the blue of the sky
overhead, cheeks that rivalled the peach blossom’s rich redness, and
lips wide parted, with the merry laugh that rippled over and over the
upturned face; for at that moment she was bubbling beyond control with
mischief and sparkle, partly on account of the buoyancy of the early
morning atmosphere, but mostly because of the raid she had made on the
morning-glory vines, as her laden hands and arms could testify.
“I haven’t struck the right combination yet,” were her mother’s words,
at the same time touching a majolica dish of flowers that served as
ornament for the breakfast-table.
“Well, _I have_! An idea has just sprung on me, seized me, as it were!
Stand still where you are, little sister, until Tom comes back again,”
and then away the boy flew, in his clumsy energy tripping over an
ottoman that was always at Mabel’s place at table, because she was not
yet tall enough to put her feet on the floor.
It seemed but a second when he returned with a cut-glass bowl in his
hands, filled within one-third of the top with fresh, cold water; and
with an air of triumph he removed the majolica dish, depositing the
bowl in its stead.
Then, going to the little girl, who had stood motionless in obedience
to her big brother’s command, and with the words, “Let Tom have some
of your pretty flowers,” he took first one and then another. The color
values, as she held the morning-glories, appealed to him, there was
such richness of reds, purples, lavenders and white, with their many
intermediate shades, which blended softly with the green leaves, vines
and tendrils. When he had taken enough to fill, not crowd the bowl,
there were many exclamations of satisfaction, for all was harmony. The
white tablecloth was a fitting background to the variety of color, and
the delicate, graceful flowers gave such a pleasant welcome at this
first meal of the new day.
Morning-glories should be oftener used for the breakfast-table. Try
what you can do with them, boys and girls, and thus give a pleasant
surprise to your mother. Another pretty table decoration would be to
plant woodland vines, and also ferns, oxalis, and pretty wild grasses
in an ornamental piece of earthenware, one that would add beauty to the
dinner-table.
Take such a piece to the country with you, and remember to fill it with
forest mould before you put in the woodland plants; it will be most
pleasing, and prove a joy all winter if you will properly water it;
that is, keep it wet, not soggy.