The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-07-05
SHANGHAI BOO PLANTS.

1 alsays enjoy a vegetable garden, and throughout the winter l lock forward to the spring days when will take my cob pipe and hoe and go loyously Aheid. like to toy with the moist earth and the common squash bug of the work-a-day world It Is a pleasure also to srstgate the garden, watering the sauer krant plant and the timid tomato vine as though they were children sskins for q drink. am never happier than when am engaged in iuigating my tropical garden or climbing my neighbof with hoe when he shuts oil my water supply by sticking an old pair of pantaloons in the canal that leads to my squash con- servatory.
 One day a man shut of my irrigation that way and damned the water up 10 such a degree that shut oaf has ar sup ply. and l vas about to say damned him up also. We had quite . scuttie. Up 10 that time ~e had never exchanged harsh word. Ina, morning 1 noticed that my early climbing horse radish and my dwagf army werm. were looking l,,tle au re.oir, and l wondered what was the matter. had been absent several da, $ and vas grieved 10 notice that my garden had kind of blase air, as though II needed res, and change of scene.
 The Poland hina egg plant looked up sadly al me and seemed to say PaId- ner. don, you think t's a long time be- tween drinks 7" The watermelon seemed to have d dark brown taste in its mouth, and there was an ait of gloom all over the garden.
 Al iha, momen, discovered my ne <, door nelghbor at the ditch on the corner. He was singing softly to himself
 "Oh, yes i'ii meet you
 I'll meet you Nhen thr sun goes do1n."
 He was also JAmm,ng an old par of Rembrandt, pants into the canal, where they would shut of my supply. He stood with his back towards me, and Jus, as he said he would meet me when the sun goes down." smo,e him across the back of the neck with my hoe handle, and be- fore he could recover from the first dumb surprise and wonder, pulled the drip ping pantaloons out of the ditch and tied them in 8 true lovers knot around his neck. He began to look black in the face, and his struggles soon ceased alto gether. At that moment his wife came out and shrieked two pure wemAnly shreks, and hissed in my ear "Yos have killed my husband"
 said, possibly had. II %, would she please send in the till, and would ad- just it al an early date. 1 said this in a bantering tone of voice, and raising my hat to her in that polished way of mine started 10 go, when something fell with a thud on the grcensward.
 l, was the author of these lines. did not know till two days afterwards ,ha, my neighbours wife wore moire antique rolling pin under her apron that morn. ing. l did no, suspect is till is was too late. The affair was kind of hushed up on account of the responsibility of the parties.
 By the time had recovered the gar den seemed to melt away into thin air My neighbor had 1t all his own way. and while his proud hollyhocks and Iohnny jump-ups reared their heads to drink the mountain water at the twilight hour, my dear little low necked, summer squashes curled up and died.
 Most every year yet l make garden. ] pay . man s 10 plow #. Then 1 pay v y M ssfoen sxeos, s"u to Jusy hue the same man ss 8 to summerfAllow the whole thing while go and buy my vege- tables of Chinaman named Wan Lung. I've done this nov for eight years, and . owe my robust health and rich olive com plexion to the lac. that I've gos garden and do just as littie in il as possible
 Parties desiring dozen or more of my Shanghai egg-plaas to ses under an ordinary domestic hen can procure the same by writing to me and enclosing lock of hair and Sfo