Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-01-26

70 were uoLi very iona OF garden
ing, and kept up a friendly rivalry rs
to who should be able to show the
finest roses and violets and marigolds
and popies-we had very few gerani-
ums or verbenas in those days, and
what you call pansies now we used to
call Johny,jump-ups We always di,
vided whatever seeds or slips we had,
and it was a great thing when either of
US got hold of anything new, which
only came about by some one giving
us something, for there were fewer
green houses then, and people were
not so much given to spending money
for everything. Neighbors used to ex
change among each other what they
had. r
"Well | was greatly surprised one
day on going over to Rob's, to find he
had two fuchsias. They were rare
flowers then-some one had sent them
to him from a distance-and how we
both admired the graceful, dropping
stems, the shining leaves, and the one
OF two buds which gave promise to
future beauty. He was much elated
at having the only ones in the neigh
borhood; but 7 fully expected him to
give one of them to me. You may i'm.
imagine, then, that / felt angry and as,
tonished at his seeming to have no
thought Of anything OF the kind, al.
though | had only the day before given
him more than half | had of some
white peony bulbs, which were con-
sidered very choice indeed.
81 thought the fuchsias the most
beautiful thing l had ever seen, as they
bloomed on with their lovely clusters
OF scarlet bells, and every time | saw
them / felt crosser at Bob for keeping
both himself. ....s. SIS
81 did not stop to consider that
| had really no right to expect it of
him, but allowed my feelings of envy
and anger to grow in my heart in
way which many have found the cause
Of sore trouble. Try, my dear boy,
never to let such feelings to get the
upper hand of you. Stamp them down
and cast them out, for if you do not
master them they will master you.
got pretty well punished for narboring
them as | did, but not perhaps as Sc.
verel y as | deserved.
81 got sullen and could not play or
work harmoniously with Bob any
longer, so | was glad when | was sent
to spend two or three weeks with nv
uncle who lived few miles distant. |
walked back home on the morning of
my birthday, and passed by where Bob
lived, stopped before the gate to see if
| could get glimpse of the fuchsias.
| could only see one under tree where
Bob had placed it for shade, and | was
amazed to see how it had grown and
what beauty it was in its full per-
lection of June bloom.
"But the ugly, covetous feeling
within me arose so strongly that ] only
felt more and more angry that Bob
should have thing so much finer
than anything l had. Hardly think
ing what did, to give vent to my
spite picked up a little stone and
flung it toward it. / aimed truer than
| expected, and the next moment the
glorious plant lay over on its side, the
stalk broken short off not far from the
root.
81 shrank away in dismay. No one |
was almost sure, had seen me, but if |
the whole world had been looking on
l could not have felt more bitterly
ashamed. | reached home and found
1t hard 10 put an decent face to an.
swcr all the kind wishes for my birth.
day, and to seem pleased with my
presents. Bob was there with the
brightest face among them. couldn't
bear to look at him, but he didn't stop
to notice how tried to avoid him.
"Come into the garden he said, as
soon as the others had said their say.
| could not refuse to 90, but in my
shame and confusion,I hardly nnder.
stood his eager chatter.
" I've been keeping it for births
day present. the dear fellow was say.