St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-04-19
ST. 5uhnsburp Galedunian.
st. John.bury, Vt, Friday, April 10, 1879.
Tom Carter's Garden.


sometimes he was downright quarrel
some. He had his good points too. ne
was sober and industrious. He Prld'd
himself particularly upon his own cot
tare-rardcn. in which. every evening,
after he had left working for his mas
ter he worked for himself. tirlndNs
next ueirhbor was g"od-tempered
man. rs industrious as himself; and. as
their gardens joined, there was kind
ofrivalry kept up as to when ON
Carter or Grundy Archer should nave
the earliest peas, the biggest canDages'
and So forth On the part OF Garter.
this rivalry was carried on with pleas
ant good humor: bur when he happen
ed to get the upper hand. Grumpy was
as savage ;is bear.
one morning in March, Grundy look
ed out of his chamher-window as he
was dressing. and saw ii sight which
might have made better tempered
man than he cross. \ number of fowls
had got into his garden, and were a.
busy as bees, scratching up row OF
peas which were just appearing above
ground, and devouring them by whole
sale. He did not wait to put on the
rest of his clothes, but, rushing down
stairs in IL fury. he made Il sudden on
slaught into the thick of the offenders,
and soon dispersed them; but not till
two fine hens We're gasping their last on
the unlucky row of peas.
The fowls were Tom Carriers. They
had made breach in their place ofcon-
finement, and, trying to make the best
of their short liberty. had unfortunate
ly strayed into Grundy's garden, after
having done mischief enough i'll then
owners.
Archer was rather ashamed of him
self when the deed was done. and man-
aged matters SO that the dead fowls
were found in IL field at the back of the
two gardens, while he repaired the
damages they had done in his own.
And when they were found he pretend
ed to know nothing about the matter.
But Tom had his suspicious, neverthe-
less ; and from that time the two neigh
bOrs and their wives were as cool as
cucumbers towards each other.
a few months later, Archer's garden
began to wear Il neglected look. After
the autumn crops were gathered III, 1t
became more and more ola wilderness.
NttuS oNtlIdh lnt tHlplN btuS' anu
there was no attempt to eradicate them
no turning up the ground to prepare
it for fresh crops. Winter came: and
the goOsberry bushes, and currant bush
es, and appletrres were left uncut
Spring was coming on and the garden
looked more desolate than ever.
GrlIndy Archer had fallen from the
top of Il wagon. while carrying corn al
harvest time, had broken his leg and
two or three of his ribs, and for months
was living in bed helpless.
He was pretty well cared for by his
master and the parish together; hut his
garden, the pride of his life. nobody
cared tor that.
IL can't bear to see it So said Tom
Carter one dav to his wife. ..'Tisn't
doing as we would be done bv. I'll
take spell at poor Grundy's garden
myself"
"He doesn't deserve it, though" said
Mrs. Carter. who was thinking of her
two dead hens.
"The Bible tells lis to bear one an
others burdens" said Tom.
"Grundy wouldn't have put out his
little finger to hear one of ours" said
Mrs. Carter.
".If We do good only to them that do
good to you, what thank have We ?''
answered Tom. quoting Il text We should
all do well to study.
Il believe Won are right, Tom" re
turned Mrs. Carter; but there's our
own garden wants us much work as YOU
can give it
Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things
of Others" rejoined Tom. who seems
to have studied the Bible to some pur-
pose.
Grundv Archer was sitting in an easy
chair one evening, in IL" pleasant frame
of mind for he was getting better and
they say that when ii sick man gets eN-
ira cross. it is one sign that he is mend
ing.
The door opened and i'll came his
neighbor Carter.
How dye do, matce" said Tom
kindly.
None the better for seeing You,
Grlndy would have said. perhaps if he
had spoken his mind, but he growled
out Il half civil reply instead.
about your garden. neighbour. Tom
began to say.
what about it - asked Grrndy
quickly.
Is In il terrible mess
could have told N"u that, SAID the
sick man.
Il want to PIT II to rights bit, if
you'd let me-
''lou ~
'Hcs, ; why not There's them
go"serhcrry-treeS' now; they want cut
ting,
81 know they dc" growlcd Archer.
" lis time to think of putting i'll
seeds:
"of course 1t Is replied Archer testi-