The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-03-09
Mr., MARTINS GARDENER.

FNos WEIGH leaned over with his face
near the ground, wedding out flower bee
in that great garden in the midst oi
that great city. A gardoner-that was
his occupation.
The two ladies in the big, smooth brick
house, situated within the garden, had not
so much as looked at the gardener yet
Their fathers agent had hired him, and
set him at work. The distance of wealth
and station was between them and hun,
Miss Clara Martin saw him at work from
her window. The garden looked pleas
ant. She put on her sun bonnet and ran
down stairs in her light morning dress, and
walked down the path. The garden was,
indeed, pleasant with its June beauty and
fragrance and Welch had already began
to make it look even better than ever.
There he was, in his working clothes and
broad brimmod straw hat, common looking
enough, but as neat as a pin, leaning over
with his face concealed. She would ask
him when in his opinion the tulips would
be out. She spoke to call his attention.
He turned his face toward her-browned,
blue-eyed, regular featured. Yes, and re-
fined. Clara did not put the question
about the tulips. Probably she forgot it..
She did not speak at once. She looked
surprised.
"Did you speak to me 7" he asked.
He stood erect and dignifed, with no.
thing plebian in his manner or address.
"Excuse me-" she said "but are you
the gardener l'
81 am"
"You look above your occupation"
"No honest occupation is too humble to
serve until better offers"
"But you lock as though you had been
schoOled."
81 have BEEN"
"But-why, it seems SO strange that you
should be working here"
"An empty pOcketbOOk is a sufficient
excuse"
"Why- Here, take mine."
With digni6ed gesture he waved back
the gift.
"No," said he, "while your heart is
good, yet | cannot receive from stranger
what | have not earned. am not sorry,
though, to have met with kindness. lap
preciate it Believe that. A generous
woman is one of the noblest works of
God"
She did not reply. Had she not talked
too long already with u gardenerl She
put back her poeketbOok, and without an
other word walked on.
Enos leaned on his hoe and looked after
her.
"Lovely grip he calculated; and then
he returned to his work. She walked on
and passed into the house. Would she
come againl
Who was this coming down the walk n
half hour afterwardl 2 Was it shel He
did not turn. Perhaps she would speak to
him-if it were she
A light step and rustling dress. Ger
tainly it was lady.
"Mr. Gardener, was spoken in brusque
voice behind him, "please come at once
and attend to my tulips. want them
hurried along. Come at once, will your"
Welch rose to his feet and turned his
face. Before, he had looked into pair
of deep blue eyes set under a fair brow
Now the eyes that met his look were dark,
and the arched brOws were dark. In
these eyes, too, there at once appeared a
look of surprise.
SIS this Mr. Mr. forget the
name."
"Mr Welch!" Z"
eyes"
"Oh, Oh, I thought you were somebody
else, when | saw you. I wished to have
my tulips attended to, and thought | would
run down and speak with you about it.
Have you always been gardener :"
"That is what the lawyers call lead
ing question"
"Oh, we'll, no matter. If you will at
tend to the tulips at once, will thank
you"
avery we'll, the tulips shall be attended
to-"
She walked away. He looked after her,
and light illumined his face. When one
looks intently mt person, that person is
likely to turn and look back. So it was
now. Miss Charlotte Martin stopped and
turned abruptly, and looked directly at
Enos Welch. He did not avert his eyes.
Turning from him again, she walked hur-
riedly away.
81 wonder if they'll report that to her
father" he soliloquized. "Did stare at
herl Well, have seen her, and talked
with her. But, here, | must 60 to work
I am a gardener-ha hap
Whether that was bitter laugh an au-
ditor might have been in doubt about.
Two weeks passed.
Miss Clara Martin stood in the garden
talking with the gardener. She looked
detected, and spoke in mournful tone.
They stood together behind clump of
ounce trees. He was leaning on his hoe,
with his eyes concealed from her by the
broad brim of his hat as he looked toward
the ground.
"No, Miss Martini he was saying, Sour
respective stations part u.s."
"You are a gentleman; that is enough
"No; l have no claim to your hand. ]