The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-03-03
A Garden overrun With Weeds.

Father, don't like 10 90 10 school,
said Harry Williams, one morning.
wish you let me always stay at home.-
CHARLES Paiker's father don't make him g
TO school.
Mr.. Williams took his little boz by III,
hand, and said kindly 10 him, Come, III!
son, want 10 show You something in ih'
garden"
Harry walked into the garden with hi
father, who led him along until they cnm'
TO bed in which peas were growing, lh'
vines supported by thin branches that hat
been placed in The ground. Not n wcet
was TO be seen abou, the roots, nor ever
dsfguring the walks around the bed il
which they had been planted.
"Sce how beautifully these peas ar
growing, my son. said Mr.. Williams
How clean and healthy The vines look
We shall have an abundan, crop. Now lie
me show you The vines in Mr.. Parker's gar
den. We can look at them through grea
hole in his fence"
MIR. Williams then led Harry through the
garden gale and across The road, 10 look a
Mr.. Palker's pea vines through hole IL
the fence. The bed in which they were
growing was near 10 The road so they had
no difficulty in seeing ii. After looking
into the garden for few moments, MIR
Williams said
Dwell, my son, what do you think o.
Mr.. Parker's peavincs J"
"Oh. father - replied the lille boy, /" ]
never saw such poor looking peas in my
life! There are no sticks for them TO run
upon, and the weeds arc nearly as high as
The peas themselves. There won't be hall
n CROP"
"Why are they so much worse than ours,
Hary?n
Because they have been lefl 10 grow as
they pleased. suppose Mr.. Parker jrs'
planted them, and never took any care oI
Them aflerwar.i. He has neither taken out
The weeds, nor helped them TO grow right
ayes, that is just the irn,h my son. a
garden will soon be overrun with weeds an,
briers, if il is not cultivated with the great
est care And just so il is with The human
garden. This precious garden must be
trained and walered, and KEEP, free f:om
weeds, or j, will run TO waste. Children's
minds are like garden beds; and they mus
be as carefully tended, and cven-more care
fully, than the choicest plants. II you, my
son, were never 10 90 10 school, nor have
good seeds of knowledge planted in your
mind, il would, when you become man
resemble the weed.covercd, neglected bed
we have jus, been looking at, instead OF
the beautiful one in our garden. Would
YOU think me light 10 neglect my garden as
Mr.. Parker neglecls his :"
"Oh, no father; your garden is a good
garden, but Mr.. Parker's is all overIur
with weeds and briers. II won't yield hal
as much rs yours will"
"Or, my son, do you think would be
right, if neglected my son as Mr.. Parker
negec,s his son, allowing him TO run wild
and his mind uncnliiva,ed, 10 become over
grown with weedg!
Little Harry made no reply; but he nn
dersiood pretty clearly what his ialhe
meant.
81 send yon TO school," Mr.. William:
continued, Sin order that the garden o
your mind may have good seeds sown IL
il, and that these seeds may spring up and
grow, and produce plenlifully. Now which
would you prefer, TO stay al home nom
school, and SO let the garden Of your mind
be overrun with weeds, or 90 10 school and
have this garden culiIva,ed!"
al would rather 30 10 school," said Har
ry. "Bui, father, is Charles PaIker's mind
overrun with weeds!"
81 am afraid that is. III not, II certain
" will be, If his father does not send him
10 school. For lille boy not 10 be sent 10
school, is grea, misfortune, and hope
you will think the privilege Of going lc
school very great one indeed.
Harry Williams listened IN all his father
had 10 say, and what was better, thought
about il, joo. He never again asked 10 stay
home from school.