With it there came to the three little Ashley sisters three packets of seeds.

A lady friend of their mother had sent them.  Every one of them had printed on it, “A Surprise Collection.”

When the little, light-brown envelopes were opened, they were found to contain several varieties of seeds.  Some were like little, round, brown pills—­those were “sweet-peas,” mamma said.  Others were very small indeed, like grains of powder, and some were like tiny, grayish-green sticks—­somebody said those were verbena seeds; and, well, dear me, there were all kinds and shapes and sizes and grays and browns.

Three neat, round beds were spaded up on the lawn, and Amy, Enid and Ruth raked them over, smoothed and patted the rich soil, and then planted their seeds.

Of course, you know what happened next.  There had to be waiting, watching, weeding and watering.  Most of the seeds sprouted and grew, and soon the dark brown earth was covered by green shoots and trailing sprays.

By and by, buds began to appear and tiny bits of color to show, and then how happy the little girls were!

All but Enid.  She was pleased, but also a little disappointed.

Now, it so happened, that Ruth’s “Surprise Collection” turned out to be pansies, asters, phlox and ragged sailors—­all posies of bright pink, purple and crimson in various shades.  Amy’s garden plot was gay with marigolds, four-o’clocks, larkspurs, and bachelor’s-buttons—­all orange and yellow, blue and purple.

[Illustration:  Enid was pleased.]

But Enid’s flowers were nearly all white, and it was truly a surprise, though not a very agreeable one.  She had white verbenas, sweet alyssum, candytuft, daisies and gillyflowers.

Consequently, her flower bed did not attract as much attention from the passers-by as did the gay ones of her sisters.

“Anyhow, almost all my posies are sweet-smelling,” the little girl said, trying her best to be contented.  For, after all, to own flowers, every one of which was fragrant, was a comfort.

Then, there came another comfort—­a real “surprise” comfort.  Late one evening, after the family had been away all day, attending the Sunday-school picnic, and drove home in the moonlight, what do you suppose they saw as they turned in at the gateway?  Why, there on the lawn, was a great circle of white, gleaming like frosted silver.

“Wonder if a sheet has blown off the clothesline,” said grandma.

“Oh, it isn’t a sheet—­it’s my flower bed!  It’s my dear, darling white posies!”

And, sure enough, the white flowers could be seen in the dark, when all the gay reds and yellows and blues and purples were dim and dull.

Enid felt very happy.

“I like ‘surprise collections’ you can see at night,” she said.

* * * * *

True love.

    “How much I love, you, mother dear,”
        A little prattler said;
    “I love you in the morning bright,
        And when I go to bed.