The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1864-02-27
gpr the g1ittle folk,
A GARDEN FULL OF WEEDS.

Father. | dont-.!ike TO go &c
school, said Harry Williams one
morning.A'i wish you would let me
always stay at home. Charles Par.
ker's father don't make him 60 &c
school,
Mr.. Williams took his little boy
by the hand, and said kindly 10 him,
Come. my son, want to show you
something in the garden
Harry walked into the garden
with his father, who led him along
until they came TO bed in which
peas were.growing, the vines sup
ported by thin branches that had
been placed in the ground. Not a
weed was TO be seen about theii
roots. nor even disfgurIng the walk
around the bed in which they had
heen planted.
See how beautiful these peas are
growing,my son. said Mr.. Williams
How clean and healthy the vines
look! We shall have an abundant
crop. Now let NE show you the
vines in Mr.. Parker's garden. We
can look at them through great
hole in his fence
Mr.. Williams then led Harry thro'
the garden gate and across the road.
TO look at Mr.. Parker's pea-vines
through hole in the fence. The
bed in which they were growing
was near 10 The read; so they had
no difficulty in seeing ii. After look
ing into the garden for a few no
merits, Mr.. Villa ms said
'Well, my son, VIA. do YOU think
of Mr.. Parker's pea-vines!'
oh, father replied the little boy,
q never saw such poor looking peas
in my life. There are no sticks FOL
them TO run upon, and the weeds
are nearly as high as the peas them
selves. There won't be half {
CROP
Why are they so much worse
than ours, Iiariy?'
Because they have been left 10
grow as they pleased. suppose
Mr.. Parker just planted them, ane
never took any care of them after
ward. He ;has. neither taken OF
the weeds, nor helped them 20 grow
right.
Yes tina: is just the ,ruli,my son
4 garden will soon be overrun witt
weeds, and briars, il not cultivated
with the greatest care. And jus
SO with the. human garden. Til
precious garden must be trained anf
watered. and kept free from weeds
or ii will run to waste. Children
minds are like garden beds; and the,
must be as carefully tended, and ev
en- more curefully than the choices
plants. If you, my son, were neve
to SO TO school, nor have good seed
of knowledge planted in your mind
il would, when you become man
resemble the weed covered, negiec,
ed bed we have just been looking a
instead of the beautiful ore in m
garden. Would you think me RICH
10 neglect my garden as Mr.. PARK
er neglects his!'
Oh. no. father; your garden is
good garden, bu, Mr.. Parker's is a
ovcrrun with weeds and mia:s.
won't yield half as much as your
will
'Or, my son, dc you think l wo'
dc right, if ! neglected my son q
Mr.. Parker does his son, alowin
him TO run wild, and his mind uncu
tivated, TO become overgrown viii
weedsP
Little Harry made no reply; bu
he understood pretty clearly wha
his father meant.
Il send you TO. school, Mr.. WI
liams continued, sin order that til
garden of your mind may have goo
seeds sown in it, and that thes
seeds may spring up and grow, an
produce pIentifully. Now whic
would you prefer, TO stay at HON
from school, and SO let the garden {
your mind be overrun with weed
or 60 10 school, and have this gal
den culiirated!'
Il would rather 60 ,c school, sal
Harry. But, father, is Charles Pal
ker's mind oyerrun with weeds!'
Il am afraid that il is If not,
certainly will be, If his father doe
not send him to school. For Iii
tie boy not to be sent TO school. is
grea, misfortune, and hope 70
will think the privilege of going t
school very great one indeed
Harry Williams listened 10 all hi
father said, and, what was better
thought about it, too. He neve
again asked 10 stay home fror
school.
A little girl had beautiful hea
of,kair, which hung in "clusterin