Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-09-09

was settled upon herself, and she ha6 lived
there six happy years, many leisure hours be-
ing spent by both Karl and herself in beauti.
flying house and garden There was not much
land attached to the house, but every inch Of
II met loving care, for Bertha had a passion
for flowers. Indulgent to this love, as to any
one Of his little wife's, Karl had added choice
seeds, rare slips, and foreign roots, from time
to time, as he felt he could afFord II, to her
garden, till it was a collection Of blooming
beauty that many grand estate might have
been proud to own. Looking now from the
windows, Bertha's eyes rested upon Birdie
fitting from flower to flower, arranging papa's
posey, the golden hues of the june sunset
tinging child aud plants with rare lovoliness.
IL had been comfort to Karl this spring, in
many an hour Of pain, to be wheeled out in
his invalid chair, and superintend Bertha's la
bors in the garden, while BRIDES merry voice
and ready feet and fingers kept both parents
hearts full Of glad pride in her t.etty ways.
And now, Bertha thought sadly, they must
exchange all this pure air, home seclusion,
and floral beauty for room in sitting
court, and hours Of weary toll in the factory.
" If one could only eat aud wear flowers"
Deftna sdlu hali aloud.
" Mamma mamma :" cried Birdie, see
see - and she came running up the path from
the garden gate, holding up something small,
that glittered in the sunset "A lady driv-
ing by, mamma, asked me for papc's posy,
and when | said must not go out, she came
to the gate and gave me this for the posy,"
aud she put shining gold dollar into her
mothers hand.
Looking at the tiny coin, Bertha's face
grew radiant with hope. She looked almost
transhgured as she again came to Karl's side
"God has shown me the way, darling" she
said, Through Birdie See, she sold your
posy for this. Why Karl, there is fortune
under our feet, and we never thought TO stop
and pick it up. Scarcely day passes but
carriages stop by the gate, for the pleasure
seekers to admire our garden, and l have Of
ten given blossoms to ladies. Now we will
sell them"
With new heart Karl entered into the
plan. Merry laughter sounded in the little
cottage at some of the gigantic schemes pro-
posed by the owners, but when the night fell,
the prayer Of thankfulness that assembled from
two grateful hearts was sincere and heartfelt.
The next day business commenced in good
earnest 4 large placard, announcing "Flow-
ers for Sale" was written and posted upon
the gate post, and not ten minutes later the
first customers appeared They ws,ra A gem
tleman and lady driving together, and very
evidently, to Berthas sympathizing eyes, the
/ lady's days were numbered. Ii was with
great care, and softly whispered prayer,
that this bouquet was selected and bound to-
gether, and Bertha knew that half a dollar
was moderate demand for its choice beauty
Five more customers before dinner, for the
house was on a road that was favorite drive
from the city to river and waterfall some
five miles away The sixth customer wanted
to buy some roots, and Bertha's heart danced
with delight at this new demand. Her fin
gers were possessed of magic power in coax
ing slips to grow, and here were thousands
around her
1t would make my tale too long to tell Of
the daily life now led at the cottage. Birdie
was the pretty sentinel to watch for carriages,
and Karl, sitting in his wheeled chair at the
door often directed her choice, when some
fair lady or city gentleman preferred bou.
quet culled by the pretty child herself Suf:
fee it, that the summer receipts were large
enough 10 warrant greenhouse ON a small
scale for preserving the plants that would not
survive the winter cold.
This was al nine long years ago. If you
4 drive now from the city Of p, ON ths
D. road, you will see a large nursery
covering acres of ground, a greenhouse in ex-
quisite order and beauty, beds ofchoice plants
: a house, small, but daintily neat and pleas
! ant. A tall man who walks with crutch, q
sweet-faced woman and young girl with 9
fair, lovely face occupy the house but there
, is stout corps of gardeners under these, ant
: tidy maid servant to do the housework. Ii
safe drawer up stairs you would find, upor
investigation, nicely kept bank account, anS
the deeds Of the pretty property, while pov
erty stands alar off, and is kept by honest in
dustry and enterprise quite out of the enclos
5 ures of BERTmAs GARDEN.