THE LITTLE PATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21076, 9 January 1932, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE LITTLE PATH.

By POPPY HILL, Marohemo, Kaipara. Age 16. (Original).

I gazed before mo in wonderment. What I looked upon was a little thatched cottage surrounded by a real old world garden in all its summer beauty. Here there was none of the arranging and setting out of modern gardens, everything grew in wild profusion. Sweet peas twined themselves round the verandah posts, honeysuckle framed the windows while roses clambered over the old rustic fence. Then in a tangled mass grew violets, mignonette, lavender, ( carnations, pinks, stocks aud many more of those sweet-scented old fashioned flowers. Here and there a forget-me-not peeped shyly out, struggling bravely to get its share of the summer sun's warm rays. Leading from the cottage down to the gate was a flagged path, now old and broken. Just before it reached the gate there stood, one, on either side of it, two rose trees. As I stood there, there came to me the following words of a song I learnt at school. Gardener tapped at my door to-day Wifh a wonderfud plan for me. "The old flagged path is broken and grey, We must mend it at once," said he. He chattered of paving With gravel ancl brick The path ho would like so much to lay, And when he had finished I answered hint fiuick. " My old flagged path niu3t stay." Gardener what do you hope to gain When my little flagged path is gone? A brido came over that broken lane 111 tho glow of her wedding morn. And two little feet were taught to go Stumbling aud tumbling to and fro. Gardener close by that path I grow The roses of memory.