The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-06-26
The Two Gardens,

Father, L don't want to go school, u
said Harry Williams, one morning 81
wish you would let me always stay at
home. Charles Parker's father don t
make him go to school. "
Mr.. Williams took the little boy by
the hand, and said kindly to him,
Come my son, L want to show you
something i'll the garden"
Henry walked into the garden with
his father, who led him along until they
came to a bed in which peas were grow
ing, the vines supported by thin
branches which had been placed in the
ground. Not a weed was to be seen
about their roots, nor even disfguring
the walk around the bed in which they
had been planted.
"See how beautifully these peas are
growing, my son. How clean and
healthy the vines look. We shall have
an abundant crop.
Now let me show you the vines in
Mr.. Parker's garden. We can look at
them through great hole i'll his fence. "
Mr.. Williams then led Henry through
the garden gate and across the road, to
look at Mr.. Parker's pea-vines through
a hole in the fence. The bed in which
they were growing was near to the road,
so they had no difficulty in seeing it.
After looking into the garden for few
moments, Mr., Williams said
Well, my son, what do you think of
Mr.. Parker's pea-vines ?"
oh, father, | never saw such poor
looking peas in my life ! There are no
sticks for them to run upon, and the
weeds are nearly as high as the peas
themselves. There won't be half a
crop -
why are they 50 much worse than
ours, Harry %
Because they have been left to grow
as they pleased. L suppose Mr.. Parker
just planted them, and never took any
care of them afterwHd. He has neither
taken ont the weeds nor helped the
vines TO grow right.
Yes, that's just the truth, my son,
A garden will soon be overrun with
weeds and briers if il is not cultivated
with the greatest care ; and just so it
Is with the human garden. This
precious garden must be trained and
watered, and kept free from weeds, OF
it will run TO waste. Children's minds
are like garden-beds, and they must be
tended even more carefully than the
choicest plants. If you, my son, were
never to go to school, nor have good
seeds of knowledge planted in your
mind, it would, when you became Il
man, resemble the weed-covered, neg
lected bed we have just been looking
at, instead of the beautiful one i'll my
garden. Would you think it right for
me TO neglect my garden as Mr.. Parker
neglects his?"
f" Oh, no, father; your garden is O
good one, but Mr.. Parker's is all over
run with weeds and briers. 1t won't
yield half as much as yours will.
A" Or, my son, do you think it would
be right if / neglected my son as Mr.
Parker neglects his, allowing him &c
run wild, and his mind uncultivated, to
become overrun with weeds ?"
Little Harry made no reply, but he
understood pretty clearly what his
! father meant.
81 send you to school," Mr.. Will
Jams continued, Sin order that tn,
garden of your mind may have goot
seeds sown in it, and that these seeds
may spring up and produce plentifully
Now, which would you prefer-to sta,
at home from school and let the garden
of your mind be overrun with weeds
or go to school and have this garden
cultivated ?"
:" / would rather go to school, sale
Harry but, father, is Charles Parker
mind overrun with weeds ?"
" am afraid that it is. If not, i
certainly will be if his father does no
send him to school. For little DO.
not to be sent to school is great mis-
fortune, and / hope you will think tn,
privilege of going to school very grea
one indeed.
Harry Williams listened to all hi
father said, and, what was better
thought about it too. He never agail
asked to stay away from school.-E S
ArthUr.