St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-10-09
GRANDPA'S GARDEN.
The Constant Care Needed to Keep 1t Free
from Weeds and Full of Beautiful Flow

Il
| ers.
"Grandpa. do come" pleaded Her
bert; ..you are doing just nothing. and
I want you so much"
Yet l am very busy. indeed" re-
piled grandpa, Every 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.
"Why, grandpa. you have no gar
den, have you? Mamma says she only
wishes the yard was not all paving
stones, with not bit of flower border
Where is Your garden. grandpa?'
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.
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."
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 a great deal
of attention" continued grandpa:
show does yours get along?'
Herbert smiled sand looked down,
and did not know what to say.
'Of course you know your heart is
your garden" said grandpa, appear
ing not to notice Herbert's embarrass-
ment.
''Oh, grandpa, you do make me
laugh now' exclaimed Herbert. II
never heard of such a garden"
'.NeTer heard of such a garden" ex-
claimed grandpa, in turn; and what is
to become of it, pray, Mt that rate?
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 will never make up
for lost time"
'Grandpa, am sure you are talking
in Joke" said 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-
tience, and many another plant of
honor or of dishonor."
My garden does not get along so
very WE'LL" said Herbert, now begin
ming to see grandpa's meaning. and
answering his question; lit is funny
notion, grandpa"
'Our garden is another name for our
character; it is formed by the growth
of many seeds; all kinds and sorts of
seeds are springing up in the heart all
the time. Its owner must keep q sharp
lookout, and pull up, and clip of. and
weed out. or matters soon get in a bad
state"
What kind of seeds, grandpa? 1 do
not half understand"
"All kinds, good and bad; this min
ute scrap of truth. the next minute a
scrap of untruth; this minute a scrap
of patience, the next scrap of anger.
The wise gardener pulls up the anger,
and the untruth, just as it promises to
shoot up"
.'And where do the seeds come from,
grandpa?"
Sometimes from within ourselves:
sometimes from the influence of other
girls, boys, men and women; some
times from Gods own Spirit" :"
lit is a puzzle. from beginning to
end"
God puts good seed in our hearts
our gardens; if they are carefully at
tended they become healthful plants.
Sometimes tn. influence of g<od or bad
people takes root in our hearts; SO we
must be watching and wedding. Some
times our wicked nature springs up
into rank weeds. Your grandpa has
been busy over his garden three score
years. and yet finds plenty to do.
What do you mean by watching and
wedding, grandpa?
Taking time to think of such ques-
tions as these: What unkind word have
/ said to-day? what was my real. true
motive in doing as did to-day? was
selfish or unseliish in what | said or
did? have | been honest or true ever
since / awoke this morning? and many
more questions of this kind, which will
come of themselves into ones mind II
we sit down earnestly to weed away
the bad seed. and solemnly ask our