But he is an intelligent fellow, and becomes very communicative as soon as he finds out you have leanings for Art.

Here's a group, for instance--Cupid and Fisky--in the nude." "But, excuse me--" The Major stepped back and rubbed his chin dubiously, for some careful hand had adorned the lovers with kilts of pink wool in crochet work, and Psyche, in addition, wore a neat pink turnover.
"The artist _designed_ 'em in the nude, but Maria worked the petticoats, having very decided views, for which I don't blame her.
It keeps off the birds, too: not that the birds could do the same damage here as in an ordinary garden." "I can well believe that." "But we were talking of oyster shells.

They are, as I say, our stand-by.

To be sure, you can't procure 'em all the year round, like marrow bones for instance; but, as I tell Maria, from a gardening point of view that's almost a convenience.

You can work at your beds whenever there's an 'r' in the month, and then, during the summer, take a spell, look about, and enjoy the results.