Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-08-27
IN The OPEN AIR.
How Was Cured OF Taking
Care of a Garden.

Care OF a Garden.
Ipassed a vegetable garden recently
which elected my admiration. Every
bed was laid out with mathematical
precision. every drill was straight and
well defined, and the young plants were
Of uniform growth, and neither scat
tered nor crowded. Not weed was
visible. The whole was as attractive as
such a garden could be. In ludicrous
comparison comes before my vision my
own garden. 1t is planted on a long
land between two rows Of trees in our
orchard. First come the radishes; they
do pretty well; then the lettuce. which
has more than supplied our table. But
the onionsl Some OF the rows are 80
near together that can not get the hoe
between them. and for several inches
there may not be one plant, while in
others they are so thick that they can
not grow large. The beans are in hills,
but how they ever came up here and
there as they are coming is strange,
The peas Sc m trying to conform to al
known lines Of direction. However,
they are thrifty and promising.
will notsay much about tho weeds.
for owing to. the wet season ! do not
think il has been a fair trial. / have
not given up the contest, neither have
the weeds; but think have rather the
bet OF the battle.
Like many another woman, my du-
ties are mostly inside the house. and
when the leisure hour come,, il IS spent
indoors. For over n year have not
been able to sleep we'll Only those
who have suffered from this can realize
the torture of lying for hours wide
awake-tossing, turning. longing, pray
ing for sleep. blessed sleep, and at the
last have only short, fitful maps. The
remedy came TO me unexpectedly. Dur
ing the early spring circumstances re-
quired me to take walk Of a mile and
back each day for month. Toward
the close OF that month found that
slept like a top, and directly / discov-
cred the remedy-physical exercise in
the open air.
As the best means of forcing myself
out daily for exercise, decided 10 at
tend 10 the garlen. / knew that II II
did finally become oyergrown with
weeds, it was worth the trial. In car
rying out this purpose, my reward
meets me day by day. find the early
part Of the day the best time TO kill
weeds, but the latter part tho most
agreeable 10 work, and with a big
kitchen apron. a sun-b0nnet and n pair
OF buckskin gloves, bid defiance 10
dirt and sun. Sometimes il Is very
tiresOme work hoeing until II seems
as If your muscles would give out, but
they do not, and have grown TO love
the work. like 10 see the tiny leaves
peepng up through the hard ground,
then stretch up and grow, ds II they
had a purpose in this world, and meant
10 accomplish It.
These two things know about gar
dening: II has a fund Of pleasure in the
work Itself; but far more, il has in L
fund OF health 10 us indoor workers
which we will do well 10 seek after.
Why | suggest taking care Of a gar
den Is so that you will feel Obliged to
go out into the open air not to ride in
a carriage, whose ;inely-balanccd
springs ease every mot on. but to do
something which will give bodily exer-
else In the fresh air and sunshine. AM
man would, with his strong physical
powers, lesome feeble II shut week
after week aud month after month
within the four walls Of house, only
seeing or knowing what goes on therein.
] suppose you will think that you
can not find time. DO not try 10 lind
tine; take time. Get one or two girls
half dozen II you need them to
help in TIE house, and arrange somo
plan which will necessitate your get
ting out Of doors part OF each day.
You will feel fully repaid In the baoy.
ant life which flows into every neryo
and muscle. do not wonder that we
American women are old az forty. -
Z. H. Chase, IN Country Gentleman.