The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-04-08
SBURG. PA, FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 1870.


calf felt the soft grass under her feet,
away she went over hill, dale, brush
and brar, dragging poor exhausted
Frank after her, and causing him to |
practice gymnastics in most ludicrous |
way.
l never had imagined that my broth
er possessed such an aptitude for sur
obstacles; huge bushes were
taken at a flying leap, stone walls PROV
ed no impediment trees were dexter
ously lodged, and no French dancing
master ever exhibited a greater variety
of steps than Franks elastic limbs ac-
to say nothing of the calf's.
Finally the interesting performance
was wound up, literally and figurative-
ly,by the calfs's lodging behind tree,
and then around and around it, entang.
ling the rope 80 as to bring himself to
standstill, and Frank, suddenly, into a
horizontal position, thereby causing
him to imagine that the ground had
flown up and hit him on the head.
DR.. Murray's factotum, Michael, who
had been leaning over the fence, hugely
enjoying the whole scene, now came
fUrward and offered his services. With
his assistance, the calf was soon lodged
safely in the barn, and Frank was TAX
en- in hand by tender. hearted mamma,
who, fearing that, like Jack in the
story book, he had broken his crown,
treated him as Dame Hill did her son,
to Il plaster of "vinegar and brown
paper"
Just as the operation was completed,
the cxprcssman reined up his horses
before our door, and, alighting, lifted n
great box from his cart, which he de-
posted in our front entry.
"What is this, mamma?" we inquir-
ed, eagerly clustering around it.
"Seeds, my dears, for the vegetable
and flower gardens"
ooh! you darlingw said Rosie, Civ
ing her hug, and then dancing off fol-
a hammer.
But Frank was before her, and com.
ing up with hatchet, soon had the box
open.
A variety of parcels, large and small
all numbered, greeted our eager sight
as we each plunged in hand to inspec
their contents.
"What is this, mammal"
"And this ?"
"And this?
Mamma looked wondrously wise, as
taking the first package, she looked frs
into it, and then around it, and finally
after a second inner inspection, ventur
ed the suggestion:
81 think these are squash Seeds"
sob, mamma" / exclaimed, Z"
know they are not squash seeds; the.
are three times as small"
"Perhaps they are cantelopes," sug
gested Frank.
"No, they are cucumbers," declare
Rosie
"Are you sure, my dcar?" aske
mamma, meekly.
Rosie replied that she was, and la be
led the package neatly.
|
) holding up for inspection very bulk
package.
"Onionsn exclaimed mamma, tr
umphantly.
, But" said |, douhtingly, "they d
not smell at all Rosie, do you thin
they are onions"
"Maud Leigh" cried my sister. 81 al
| rt n,hn Of if
deed! they are bulbs for the flower
garden-hyacnthe narcissus, crocu'
, etc; but they might rs well be fire
, crackers, for all the use we can make {
them now; they cannot be planted VI
. til next fall. Don't you know, MANN;
, that only gladiolus bulbs and few {
the lilies are suitable for late sprin
planting?
"Stop your lecture on botany, Rosie
POsie, and tell us what is this;" an
Frank held up bag of-something.
Rosie took it, looked at it, shifted t
| it, and, making very dubious face +
it, avowed that the contents were mott
: ing but sawdust in huge grains.'
, "And here are two more bags file
) with the same" Frank cried, indij
| nantly.
G "It's Il shame, mamma" we vehen
G emily sympathized.
Franks declaration, that the SET
Il dealer was "rascal," was interruptt
I by knock upon our front door.
e Our visitor was DR.. Murray
Good morning." he said pleasant.
= as he entered the hall, and then gla
cling at the array of packages, he remarI
l ed:
"You are making extensive gardt
r preparations | see."
/ 81 should think so," answered man
i ma, little rufflcd; "the seedman hi
4 sent methree bags ofsawdust."
a "Sawdust! my dear madam, thel
n must be some mistake"
",5ee for yourselfw cried Frank, tos
a ing him the despised parcels, at II
II contents of which the doctor merel
h glanced, and then, with a not who'll
suppressed smile, named them mango
Il wurzel and beet seeds.
II "There must he a catalogue" said h
accompanying the packages, and in
corresponding numbers to those on Il
u wrapper will give us their names"
"An instantaneous search produce
Z the catalogue. We consulted it eagerl
and Rosie wrote the names, as the d
> rercnt packages were identified, upC
D their wrappers, with frequent interje
tions and remarks in parentheses.
= "No. 10, Mignonette, ah that is niC
I 40, Turnips, bah! II, Sweet Peas, ma
i nifcent 3, Carnations, splendidv = etc
; finally going off in flutIer of deligl
> with her apron coquettishly drawn
!, and filled with II prospective crop
" flowers, her hair very picturesque