St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-09-25
IN RHETTA'S GARDEN.
Why She and Ralph Would Dig
H.. by Moonlight.


1t was only little spot south OF the
house. but violets blossomed sooner
there than any where else, and great
bursting pinks made the air spicy while
other peoples Were only in bud. There
were datlodils in the grassy border, and
blue-bclls. and blue spider-lilics. There
were TWO rose-bushes. one cinnamon
and one damask, while double sweet
gillytlowers sowcd themselves and csme
up every year along with rlignonette
and chrysanthemums. it was a sweet
fragant. o!d-fashiyned little garden.
which Rhetta 5 mother had tended and
taken pleas'ir in, and now it was Rhet-
ta'S. There she worked all her spare
half-hCtirs. sowing and watering. weed
ing and hansplanting, till her little
hands were brown, and her cheeks like
hcr own cinnamon roses. Aunt Dor
cas-. in the kitchen, used to wonder
show on airth that child could be so
content all alone out in her posy bed. v
But Rhetta WAS not so often alone of
late. since ther had taken boarder.
Ralph Calender found that the pleas
antest path to the house lay through
the little flower garden, and when his
jobs of copying failed to occupy his
time. what could he more natural than
to use his leisure helping the blushing
gardener 1t was he who carried away
all the weeds, divided the white peony
nd I,r
thoroughly than Rhetta ever could
around the dear old rose-bushes. Over
their work they fell talking. rs young
people will. and already Rhet.a' sfather
began to watch them little anxiously
above his spectacles as he sat on the
porch, while one of the neighbors had
remarked privately TO Aunt Dorcas that
it was pity young Calender was not
man of fortune as well rs of family.
In truth. riches had taken unto them
selves wings and flown away from the
Callenders wear before, so that Ralph,
instead of becoming junior partner in
an old and prosperous business. saw
nothing before him but what his two
hands could earn. and being totally
unprepared for such prospect. he had
to take a little time to get used to it. and
to find out which way TO turn. Mean
while he had ,lriftcl to this suburban
town. and while waiting to find situa-
ton rs clerk or accountant, did copying
to support himself. and boarded at
Rhettas.
1t was the day they had been trans
planting touch-me- -nots. and Ralph had
thrown n!mSelf down under the plum
s,,. I.rI
the faded blossoms from \ primrose.
He might have been misanthropic
enough at that moment it he had
chosen, for the last line of copying lay
upon his table finished. with not SO
much as a hint of an order for any
more. Worse than that. clerk S
place he had been hoping for had that
very morning been give to another. If
he had got it. he could have spoke to
Rhetta at once. His glance followed
her rs she bent over her plants, her
garden bonnet dropping back from her
bright brown hair. and his fingers
sought instincti,ely little ring that
hid in his vest pocket. The old Callen-
der pride had come to this, that he only
waited for the harest chance of being
able to earn a living before he offered
heart and hand to pretty little Rhetta
Wood. whose bonny face was all her
dowry.
But he could not help letting love
color his words little when he said.
presently. to Rhetta. rs he watched
her: when make my fortune. You
shall have greenhouses and hot beds,
and gardens laid on; on terraces.
n, p,r.ar'S p, lanpbaI Il
Rhetta. blushing over her towel. ''Oh,
have Won ever seen his place. MIR. Cal
icndcr2 It'>lover on tn west side.
Il think have passed it. answered
the Young man, miiterently- big
trees. three terraces. ribbon beds. and
peacock on the lawn; is that the
place."
Yes: isn't its plendid9" exclaimed
Rhetta. Il always 60 that way when
take a walk bv myself: and oh! how
do long sometimes for things | see the
;-ardener throwing away-slips and
cuttings and roots that he thins out.
Perfectly lovely things
Why ,ion't yon ask him for them!'
Ask h'm?" and Rhe.ta caught her
breath al the very ide of her doing Sd
anlacious thing. why. wouldn' t
dare"
Don't YOU know them the family.
| mean
mo; how could IL Rose Porter and
] went 10 the same school, and when
she rides hv and sees me- she bows and
smiles: bat that sat bsing acquainted.
She is as beautiful as princess. 1t is
time for her II be At home now: she has
been in Washington all the spring"
Ralph Call ,nder made no answer.
He was busy weaving a true-lovc knot
of grass blades, and when it was done
he gave it - Rhetta. She biushei again
over, it, and went on talking about
flowers
II wish | could -e, some slips OF
Colonel Porter's grraniums. she said:
..hc has so many kinds. and have only
this httle pink one. And want a roo,
OF tlay-lly rerI much. and sone tea
rose ca, ings. aaa . double Genoese
violet, 4 bue salFi, too. and-O. Mr.
CalIenier, loaS. There is Rose Porte.