The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-10-13
AuARDEN STORY.


or perhaps ought to say, in 1t, where
there had been flower garden for years
and years, Of the most old.fasllioned
sort. 1t always seemed in the spring rs
Il nobody need touch 1t, rs If all the
flowers had come up and blossomel so
many times that they might be left alone
to look after themselves.
She would not have man about that
part Of her small domain-nOt sieI Old
Mike O'Brien had been gardener to u
lord in his native country, and might be
trusted to take the whole care Of her
short rows OF beans and forty hills of
potatoes; but she never could let him
loose among the flower beds-Only once
when she had to spend a great deal Of
time with sick sister, and gave him
patterns Of three kinds Of weeds which
he might pool; even then, scornful as he
was of her directions, she found the tor
/ of one Of her best lilies, and nearly all
the sprouts Of her favorite mist plant
lying with tile pig weed and rag.weed on
the garden walk.
Sometimes she got very tired; but
pftcr all it was very good for her to
spend SO much time out Of doors, and
she had the prettiest sweet peas, and
poppies, and marigolds, in town, 1t was
her one great luxury and pleasure, and
one friend after another found chance
to give her u rare bulb, or 4 slip from a
new geranium, or some rare flower
seeds, us the years went by.
The ministers wife had very rich
cousin near Boston. who lived in as6ne
place, and was mistress Of a llot.llOuse.
Miss Dunning had once succeeded in
making something bloom that the
cousins gardener had failed to persuade
into Towering, and there had been more
than one message and tribute pass to and
fro. 1t was ngreat triumph, and Miss
Dunning was asked to write her course
of treatment for the gardeners benefit.
Tie only pain she ever had all sum
mcr in regard to her little garden, was
her fear lest she should be inlulging
herself selfishly. She really did spenl
too much, according to her slender
means, in this qualification. She knew
that there were other ways in which the
money might do more good, and it u
contribution box passed her by in church
after she had been buying new rose or
namel geranium Of high degree, she
felt as guilty asif she had directly robbed
it, md had been caught, by the deacons.
But, dear soul! she tried in many ways
to give rs many people rs possible a
share in her joy, and the whole country
village was the better for ler beloved
flower garden. Sick people and little
children were surp to have enough of
pOsics; the pulpit in the old meeting
house was adorned Sunday after Sun.
day. There was never bride or fun.
erul in Littletown that did not depend,
more or less, summer or winter, upon
Miss Dunning's store of blossoms.
This year she hal added to her bene-
factions. She had sent her name to
Boston as one kind soul who would give
a little child her blessed country week.
"No boys" Miss Ann had written in
her plSinest hand, with two or three I'M.
derliningS, and il she had picked Boston
all over she could not have found a little
maid that WAS more to her mind than
the one who fell to her share.
She had said she would be ready any
time after uie first of June; and she was
a little diSmayed to be taxed at her
word. She wished that she could at
least have got her wedding done; but
the spring had been very late.
On the first Of June itself, she had
gone to the depot to meet the unknown
visitor, and the little white house was
put in as careful order for the reception
Of small Peggy McAllister rs II she had
been Queen Victoria herself.