“What a queer thing to say, Miss Beth!” cried Anna Mary. “No, indeed, then! These on this side we take. Those over there are sent to your aunt; don’t you see they have cards on them? Mrs. Cortlandt has sent as many and more herself. They’re ordered at a big florist’s and left on Holy Saturday where they’re to go. ’Tis a nice way to wish your friends a good Easter, but thousands of dollars it costs--though it does seem wrong to be considerin’ cost along with Easter lilies and the like!” “I should think you’d have to think what it costs just as much as you’d have to smell them; it seems to come right up at you, just as strong,” said Beth, inhaling a lily as she spoke. She and Anna Mary got into the car and Léon, with the help of three maids, set the flower pots into the tonneau and piled the boxes of cut flowers on the seats which were unoccupied and around Léon’s feet. They drove slowly through the streets for fear of disturbing the potted plants. Other cars which they passed were similarly laden, though none to their degree. Mrs. Cortlandt liked to make sure that her gifts were properly delivered, so did not risk their going astray in the tenements. Once more Beth was moved to profound pity by the crowded poverty she saw. Sharp as had been the contrast at Christmas between it and the holly-trimmed Christmas gaiety from which she had come, still sharper was the contrast now between the evil-smelling, congested tenements and the spacious hall in her uncle’s house, fragrant and lovely with the crowning successes of the master florists. “Do you think the flowers will help any?” she asked Anna Mary wistfully. “It seems as though they couldn’t know Christ had risen and what alleluia meant, in such places.” “Sometimes they know better than in great houses, bless your dear heart, Miss Beth,” said Anna Mary. “There do be people in such places that know so well that Christ lived on earth and left hope to them when He left it, that they’re almost glad to be poor, because He was. Sure, there’s no place so mean, or so crowded that there isn’t space enough to let in God Almighty! And that’s a comfort to think of when we’re needin’ it. And any decent person craves comfortin’ thoughts when they see what misery there do be, and that at Eastertide.”