River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-05-27
ALICIA'S GARDEN.

Nothing but garden will do it.
The pills and powders this medicine
case holds are no such panaceas for
bringing the roses to your cheeks or
strength and activity to your system.
1t was this DIR. Stanley said to Alicia
Hunter, pale and languid on the sofa
in a furnace-heated room. as the first
heralds of spring appeared to the snow
capped hills and ic--Dound streams.
Nothing in the who aaGteria med-
jco but a garden taken by you in the
right way will do it. Cheer up, Miss
Hunter, you are booked for years to
come, if you accept the new lease of life
this medicine will give. Only it de
ponds on you to wake nan interest and
make the effort. You may think Of
this last prescription, and if you need
help send for me- Alicia. who had
been housed since November with neu-
ralgia and a train OF nervous disorders
fast settling to permanent disease, did
think, the result of which was that early
one spring morning while the robins
were yet chirping about their break
fast, a ghost like looking maiden,
bundled with numerous shawls and
hood, slowly and tecbly stepped about
the front yard, leaning upon her
fathers arm. Ii was, however, the
initial step ard events followed. Every
pleasant day after, Alicia was seen
there, but a short time ct first watch
ing the spading and mcllowing process;
but as the DAYS grew warmer, little by
little She began TO work, until she sur
prised herself one day to find how much
in the way of secd-planting and general
hoping and digging she could actually
accomplish, and that the doctors last
slription was sending the blood III such
swift currents through her veins.
And the garden grew and bloomed.
How pretty it wasl And the time,
and enthusiasm Alicia exhausted upon
it, She made herself acquainted with
the kinds best suited to such soil as
hers and the best way of treating them.
and bl midsummer, with the work
outside and the enthusiasm within, she
had forgotten many AN ache and pain.
But Summer can not last forever
would it might, was often her thought
and as the cold, chilly days of autumn
grew on She could not bear to lose her
garden, even for the winter; hence,
one of the windows in her fathers
sitting-room was dedicated to this
purpose 1t was the same room in
which she had passed 80 many hours of
pain the winter before, But now,
thanks to good DIR. Stanley's prescrip-
ton, She would often say, "my life is
something different. For nature is
ever kind to her children, ready to
whisper her secrets to them and help
and heal in WAYS manifold. Alicia
touched the spring and the elixir of
life gushed forth. Whatever of plants
could be potted and moved to the
window garden were placed there, and
also the pots containing the geTanium
slips she had started. She watered
and cared for these plants as few are
tended, and frightened the sOmbre
room greatly. but the pleasure and
brightness of Alicia 5 face at their pro
gress was even greater. The little pot
of heliotrope and box of friendly
pansies were perhaps her favorites
but she loved them all. She had also
subscribed for a magazine of floricul-
ture-I will not say what One-and
eagerly looked for its coming.
Next year, she often said, 'Imean
to have twice as many flowers as this.
I'm learning all the time. +" Winter
drew on apace. The earth was wrapped
in ice aud snow, end sleigh bells
iingled everywhere. The days sped ON
till Christmastide. and on Christmas
morning when the merry chimes rang
through the f'osty air. Alicia Hunter
rang the bell at DR.. Stanley's. He
opened the door upon young woman
in the hlooIl of health, with a glow
upon herco ntenance, not all the result
of the crisp winter morning, for in her
hand she held bouquet fine, large
One-just taken from her window,
and she assured him as she hand
ed it that it was the result of
his prescription "put up; but he. with
an eve to science informed her that
her present self was the success
Of its pratical workings