The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-18

LAWN try to pull them out" said to myself.
but my heart sank into my bosom. knew how
vain II would be 10 try to get rid Of the plague.
carefully drew the long ropy roots towards mo.
! saw them leave Q long furrow In my neighbor's
gave stronger pull there was Q clash Of glass,
and fell backwards, drawing through the hedge
the prize carnation entangled with my Intrusive
plant and had pulled down also glass frame,
TO tie utter ruin Of the remaining flowers.
From that time forth had an enemy next door.
Ny poor wife could no longer walk Ia the garden,
owing to the growing and cursing Of the vener-
able tar. Her health began to droop.
The ground had been sodded and was kent
mown; but day or two would cover 1t with the
noxious plant. Simpson, who used to be con-
sidered the crack croquet player. would join our
little croquet parties now and then bat he COM
planned that his eyes smarted 30 much on my
ground that he never could make decent stroke.
The lawn bad to be freshly mown for every party,
and the horrid edluvium Of the root filed our nos
Sv oS ssd
vengeance and my stray roots for fitting op-
portuniiy ; and at our last meeting he poured
shower OF roots and leaves over the hedge,
mingled with atorrent Of mpIecations on the fools
who liked horseradish and who should have ell he
"Let us leave this place. Clara" said I; ct
can endure this no longer; We will let this house
"Oi George replied she II is Just what 1
have been wishing for. Baby has been nearly
poisoned In the garden with q piece of that
dreadful stuff that he picked up; and when II bit
his dear little tongue, he rubbed his eyes with
his fingers till they are as red as fire, and, U, 50
dreadfully sore! Yes; let Us gol
At last we found young couple who were willing
to take the house; the garden had been nicely
mown the day they came 10 look at It, and they
only remarked on the curious smell. "I should
like some flower beds cut ont in this grass" said
the bride. held my breath, and said nothing.
We soon after left for another house farther away
from town; You may be sure | looked carefully
to see what was growing in the gardenI
But my tenant did not stay long; they said moth
ing could be done with the garden, and that we
must have been accustomed to supply all London
with horseradshs ror
lop was dead. and visited the place occasionally.
1t was imbedded IN forest of rough leaves.
At last found tenant who. 1 thought, would
suit me exactly. :" don't care fog the garden"
said he. If you'll do q little pspering and white
Wishing, and build me stable for my hunters, you
can pave the garden and make It into yard and,
ss the situation suits me. will take. IL on five
years lease"
You may be sure was not long in coming 20
terms, and in having the stable run up and the
garden nicely paved over. And now,v thought
/, "that matter 10 settled for good You may
Judge what were my feelings when Tom Tandem,
my tenant came with long face INTO my counting
house three months afterwards, saying, F" want
you to take that lease of my hands. am not
particular about terms, but must be, rid Of the
place. There is some nasty plaot that grows be-
not get it out, though half the pavement has been
disturbed by pulling at 1t. But this Is not the
worst. A lot Of 1t began TO grow in the stable.
and when my groom pulled II mp, sir, there was
smell Just like new mustard !. that set ny horses
mad. They have smashed the stalls to pieces
and half killed the groom in the bargain"
"Call tomorrow" said ], "and In the meantime
rxrs- Ia -
that would not let my tenant of his lease If !
knew 1t. t......
The ne xt morning received letter and my ten
ant at the same moment. Having read my letter
tdrned to him. "Tsndsm," said |, Il am glad to
be able to meet your wishes. and to letyou of your
lease on easy terms. The Chesteus and Ooer
Railway Company have just sent me notice that
they require the property that you occupy for their
new Swindledum junction Extension, and mean
to send them word that they can have u on reason
sble terms, and without giving themselves the
trouble of passing it through the hands of pro-
fessional valuers."
Well the "Cheatem and Doer" took my house
and demolished it. The country lane, the elm tree
healed scar, ran through the desosted fields. where
bricks were nov burned, and shabby little rows Of
housss, fit neither for town nor country. sprang
up. Close by Elm Row Station there was rough
5erdure on the bank though all else was black GIN
iers or erimy clay. lived some way down the
new line now, and noted that last landmark Of my
old residence, where all else had disappeared be.
fore the ruthless tide Of so-called Improvement.
knew what it was but 1t was no trouble to me
now. 3 -r0. f rl
Two years after the line was opened my aunt
Judith sat, as usual at Christmas time, at my
table. al
never taken that thousand pounds from you to
invest IN that shocking .Cheatem and Qper
Line Ever aimee they made the new Bwindlum
Extension they have never paid penny Of divi-
dend, and they tell me could not give the shares
awsyr' it
No doubt she would have run on with long
catalogue Of troubles about her railway property,
had not the wall of q wretched song from tho
hard-frozen road fallen upon our ears. somehow
the note seemed familiar to me, and went to the
window. poor, broken-down, ragged old man
was shutting along the street. Ia spite of bis
battered hat and cracked boots, his ten days'
beard, his shrunken limbs. and withered, famine
stricken fsce, I recognized my cid gardener,
Samuel Spikenard. l .tIol1 81
One feels soft.hearted at Christmas time; so,
forgetting the wrong he had done me, ran to the
doc, and called him %hy sAaus said
GAY, sir" replied be, "you may vel! az me
that I'm q ruined man, sir-a ruined man |!
Ay, deary mel To think o. my bewtiffie gardin,
as owned an tended like pet child ~
"And what has become Of 1t. Samuel, Why
did you part with It, when you were doing SO
well, and with so many new customers coming
10 your neighborhood, too, BY the swindlum
Extension"
",T was that as done II, sir Yes, yes that
done it. You know, sir, was allus pertikler to
bev' rich, fresh soil put in every year; that was
the secret of my flowers, sir; an two year ago,
sir, a contractor come TO me, and, samuel SEE
he, I've q splendid lot o. soil az III suit you.'
Where does IL come from 2 SEE |, for was allus
so perticker to know as it should cone from right
sort o. place. Well SEE he IT g jest been dug
from stable and stable yard. as the new line g Q
goin' through, an it g as full Of likkid menure 20
Il can be- Send me ten losds, seq I. 30 when
the soil came, sir (my eyes IS MT as good as they
was, sir). there was o smell about 1t az reminded
me o. you, sir; but, thinks ], 1t 3 the lkkid me-
Dure. so digs It into the Strawberries, an pots
all my choice plants 10 it, and spreads the rest
through my garden. You can guess the rest, sir,
sees by yer face. Yes, SIR So IL was, sir
When dgged that ere orsrsdish into you. sir,
never thought as 'ow it would come back to be
digged into myself; but. so IL was sir. Next sum-
per IL was orsrsdish here, and orsradish there,
and everywberes around me. | fought IL till the
next spring. but IL beat me then. ard had to turn
out. ! was too old to go out gardpin'. and here
am, sir. A you see."
| gave him 1--WE shillings / confess my eye
brimmed with q tear. Samuel said |, you
know what retribution is bot forgive you"