The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-11-06
oRANDPA's GARDEN.


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The Constant Caro- Needed to Keep 1t Free
from Weeds and Full Of Beautiful Flow
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"Grandpa, do come" pleaded Her
bert; you are doing just nothing. and
/ want you so much
Yet am very busy, indeed" re-
piled grandpa. ''very busy"
| Grandpa was sitting quite still in his
big chair. Herbert looked about to
discover grandpa's occupation. but
could find nothing. - - =
please tell me what you are doing,
grandpa pleaded Herbert.
"Weeding and looking into my gar
den," replied grandpa
Herbert was more astonished than
ever -lls.a5 ts eta 81.
| "Why, grandpa. you have no gar
den, have your Mamma says she only
wishes the yard was not all paving
stones. with not bit of flower border.
Where is your garden. grandpaPr
| Grandpa laid his hand upon his
breast; Here he explained. fright
here"
Herbert would have laughed loud
and long at such an explanation had
he dared, but he checked, himself, and
stood looking quizzically and inquir-
| ingly at grandpa aF "a.
"Every body has garden" said
| grandpa; "some grow base weeds in
their gardens, some grow tender flow
ers, but every garden requires constant
attention; it must be watched and
weeded. ,ae 4.
Herbert had drawn the little stool
closer, and sat down at grandpa's feet.
with his chin resting ON his hand and
his hand upon grandpa's knee.
my garden has required great deal
of attention. continued grandpa;
show does yours get aloiig?'
Herbert smiled and looked down,
and did not know what to say.
''Of course you know your heart il
your garden" said grandpa appear
ing not to notice Herbert's embarrass-
ment
.'Oh, grandpa, you do make me
laugh nowT exclaimed Herbert II
never heard Of snch 3 garden. 9
Never heard of such garden!" ex-
claimed grandpa, in turn; and what is
to become of it, pray, at that ratep
WHY, it needs to be weeded and wat
cred every day of our lives, and If you
let the work get ahead of you the
chances are you win never make up
for lost time"
4 GRANDPA, am sure you are talking
in joke" bald Herbert, half amused,
half perplexed.
mo, l am quite IN earnest. The
plants we grow are honesty or dis
honesty, truth or falsehood, obedience
or disobedience, patience or impa-
thence, and many another plant Of
honor or of dishonor.
my garden does not get along SO
very welI," said Herbert, now begin
ming to see grandpa's meaning, and
answering his question; lit is funny
motion, grandpa"
i s.Our garden is another name for oul
character; it is formed by the growth
| Of many seeds; all kinds and sorts O
seeds are springing up in the heart all
the time. Its owner must keep SHARP
lookout and pull up, and clip OF, and
weed out, or matters soon get in . bad
state. ~ @ .
s.Whst kind Of seeds. grandpar I dc
not half understand"
/ IAN kinds, good and bad; this min
ute scrap of truth, the next minute .
scrap ,ef runtrnth; this minute SCRAP
Of patience, the next . scrap of anger
4 The wiseigardener pulls up the anger
/ and the untruth. just as it promises te
shoot up"
..And where do the seeds come hon
| grandpap"
Sometimes from within ourselves
sometimes from the influence Of othel
girls, boys, men and women; some
times from Gods own Spirit |" 20
| If is - puzzle. from beginning Y
end.n 4 .sFsif Z. - y sa ,e - .se7s :
God puts good seed in our hearts,
our gardens; if they are carefully at
tended they become healthful plants
Sometimes tbs influence Of good or bat
people takes, root in our hearts; so VI
must be watching and wedding. Some
times our wicked nature springs VI
into rank weeds Your grandpa ha
been busy over his garden three scor'
years, and yet finds plenty to do.
"Whatdo you mean by watching ant
wedding, grandpap
| '.Taking time to think of such .ques
tons as these: What unkind word havs
1 ] said to-day? what was my real. true
motive in doing as ] did today was
selfish or unselfisb in what / said o
did? have l been honest or true eve
since awoke this morning? and man,
more questions Of this kind, which vii
come of themselves into ones mind
we sit down earnestly to weed ava,
the bad seed. and solemnly ask our
selves earnest questions, as bef0r
God.
'.And that is what you call weedinl