puzzled by it, Mary; and I suppose you will open your eyes very wide indeed when I tell you, that it is a plant after all."

"A plant!" exclaimed Mary and Fanny together. "Why I never knew that flannel grew before."

"This flannel grew, however, to my certain knowledge: and I will tell you a story to prove it."

Fanny, who was just starting off to chase a butterfly, turned back again at the sound of the word "story," and listened attentively.

dis

"Some years ago, I was staying at the house of a friend in Gloucestershire. It had been a very wet spring: the situation was low and moist; and many of the surrounding meadows were quite inundated with water. One morning, on going down to breakfast, I found the whole family assembled together outside the library window, in a state of great excitement about something, and in some alarm. I begged to know what was the matter: they pointed to a field opposite, which was covered all over with a strange whitish-looking substance. We were not near enough to see it very tinctly, and many were the conjectures as to what it could possibly be; it had grown up in one single night whatever it was, for every one was certain that there was nothing of the kind visible on the field the day before. I had heard before of the existence of water-flannel; and it immediately occurred to me, that the phenomenon in question was neither more nor less than a specimen of that curious plant. Breakfast was not to be thought of until some one had solved the mystery; and accordingly I accompanied one or two of the most enterprising of the party in a walk to the

field. It had a very odd appearance when we came up to

it. The whole surface of the meadow looked as if covered with one vast blanket. On examination, however, it proved to be the identical Water-flannel, and we brought a large piece home as a specimen. Before breakfast was concluded, the field became crowded with the villagers, who, having never seen anything like it in all their lives, were quite overwhelmed with amazement; and you may suppose, that in a quiet little village where very extraordinary events are of rare occurrence, such a novelty as this would of course make a great stir. It was amusing to watch their astonished looks, and to listen to their various explanations on the subject. Some pronounced it to be the work of insects, occasioned by the unusual continuance of wet weather; others, of fairies; and one old lady shook her head in an ominous sort of manner, and whispered something about signs of the times, but no one knew exactly what she meant: we had some difficulty in persuading them that it was after all an innocent plant. At length the good people began to test its strength and durability, which they found very satisfactory. One woman indeed amused us exceedingly: she gravely measured out the necessary quantity for a petticoat for herself, which she actually made and wore; and a very capital flannel petticoat it proved too. Some others followed her example, and made waistcoats for their husbands."

"But were they strong enough to last?”

"I cannot inform you how long it took to wear them out, as I left Gloucestershire just afterwards, but I should imagine not a very great while; the wonder was, that they would bear the needle and thread."

"How long did it remain on the ground?"

"Not many days, I believe; it soon withered away in the sun."

"I wish it would come in some of these fields; I should like to see it."

"It is not likely to do so, I fear. It seems to be an uncommon thing anywhere, for I have met with very few people who have seen it. Aquatic vegetation, to which this species belongs, has many wonders to relate: by aquatic, I mean that which grows in water."

"Then the Lotus must be aquatic, is it not?"

"Yes."

one.

"And I do believe," exclaimed Fanny, "that I can spy I see a small white flower swimming on the top of the water in the middle of green leaves; that must be a Lily."

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Yes, that is a Water-lily in bud; it is not full-blown yet; do let us try and reach it."

With some difficulty, and by dint of parasol handles, the flower was safely reached and brought to shore, and underwent examination. The sisters had never seen a Waterlily before, at least so they said; Miss Vaughan thought it most probable that they had seen without observing it, like many other things: however, they observed it well now, and thought it passing beautiful in its pure white dress, contrasting with the large dark green leaf on which it floated.

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"It is called the Nymphea Alba," said Miss Vaughan, or White Water-lily. It owes its name Nymphea to its growing in clear pools and slow rivers, places which nymphs