The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1891-12-10
-------------------.--------
A GREAT SECRET.
what John Did with the Money He Mad
Out of His Garden.


A GREAT SECRET.
what John Did with the Money He Made
Out of His Garden.
What are you going to do with the
money from your garden this year,
John?"
Mrs Leslie had just taken an iron
from the stove and was holding it to
her cheek to test its temperature. She
looked at her little boy, who was start
ing out with his bat for game of base
ball.
THAT is secret, mother, said John,
in mysterious voice, coming back into
the room, that am not going to tell
anyone, even you, until the summer is
over" and John ran out and gave a
peculiar boyish yell to some Of his
friends.
Ills. mother smiled to herself. John
had saved up his money for two sum
mers in order TO buy himself rows
boat, and had talked so much about it
that his family was quite sick of the
subject by the time the boat was
bought; but this year it was to be diff
ferent He intended to keep his inten-
ticn with regard to the disposal of his
money profound secret.
He was bright boy, whose parents
lived in the village Of Sandwich, on the
beautiful Detroit river, nearly opposite
the city of that name. Attached to
their house was large garden orchard,
the former of which was Johns especial
care. All the vegetables which were
not required by the family belonged to
him, and from this source he realized
ali his pocket money. This stimulated
his ambition and he was besides natur-
ally very active.
Every morning John would work for
about an hour in my garden, as he
proudly called it. In one corner was q
patch of potatoes, in another corn, and,
in their season. he had cabbage, cauli-
flower, beets, tomatoes, onions, let
tuce, radishes, etc. 1t was his pride to
keep his garden perfectly free from
weeds and the ground we'll hoed up
around his plants.
John and the captain OF the ferryboat
that stopped at Sandwich were great
friends The former sometimes pre-
sented the captain with a basket of
nice, ripe tomatoes or some of the first
green corn of the season, in return for
which he was allowed to ride on the
ferryboat as often as he wished
One summer, two little cousins, Alice
and May Leslie, were visiting at his
home. John asked them to accompany
him for ride on the ferry boat, think
ing the captain would have. no objec-
tons They were enjoying themselves
on the deck, when the captain came up
to the little boy. and, in a stern voice,
demanded: where is your farc?s
John, astonished at this unusual sever
ity, looked up aud said, timidly: Won't
tomatoes do?" At this the good cap
tain burst into hearty laugh, which
was very reassuring to the poor little
boy.
Little Cora Leslie, Johns sister, was
about seven years old, but had never
been able to walk. on account of some
spinal trouble. She was an intelligent
child, of great beauty and had re-
markably sweet disposition. She was
the pet Of the family and it was Johns
delight to give her any pleasure in his
power. He would often wheel her out
in the baby carriage, which was now
almost too small for even her frail
body. She took great interest in his
garden and he had made for her little
summer-house of lattice-worlx, with q
grapevine climbing over it. Into this
he would wheel her and she would sit
there watching him at his work.
Even to Cora John did not tell his
secret, although she tried hard to coax
it from him and even cried when he
would not tell her, John was obliged
to console her by promising to take her
oyerrto Detroit on the ferry 5oat, which
was the great delight Of hsr life. She
was pet of the captains, who would
tell her stories and carry her all over
the boat.
There was only one person who knew
Johns secret besides himself. This
was the captain, whose advice he had
asked in regard to the purchase he in
tended to make.
All that summer the little boy worked
faithfully, and as 1t happened to be a
very good season he earned more money
than usual. At last fall came and John
announced one Saturday morning at
breakfast that the great secret would
be disclosed that day.
II ams going over to Detroit and the
captain Is going with me to n friend Of
his TO pick out what am going To
buy" said John. and having bid them