Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-04-10

 over very thoughtfully and finally said between the whiffs of his pipe: Lady, the Lord must have sent you to me, be- cause, of all the people living in the Der mudas, I alone perhaps can help you. I haven't much, only my little farm here and these rude huts, bat if you will accept one of the latter as tem- polQry dwelling it is yours for as long as you may wish to stay. As for feod, if you can put up with my fare of milk and sweet potatoes, with now and then a hit of meat and all the fish you want, to be caught in the bay, you are wei come. No, don't thank me- D he said as I tried to express my gratitude aI have been thinking of making some one this same offer for the privilege of pleasant company, for I am getting cid and have lived too long alone. Indeed you will do me 8 favor by accepting my offer ,
 Tie very next day we had removed our belongings to one of the huts, which promised to serve us as well as if it were palatial mansion i'll that favored land where one may pass the entire day out of doors. As the physician had or dered my mother to spend all the time possible in tho open air, it mattered lit tie what kind of rooftree sheltered us at night. And, so far as I was concerned, it was a joy to wander in the shade of those fragrant trees and along the beach, where shells of every huc were abundant and where the crystal waters covered fhp tyarflp1,c Cf Sn1 rDIa1,te Ss0oi-,e, fIDot r liked to work about tEc flower garden and knowing that he might speak to me frankly, my aged friend suggested that l make an attempt to wrcst livelihood from the soil.
 ''I am tco old, " he said, ito embark ill any How adventures; but, if you want to try it, why there's the garden, with as rich soil as anywhere, and here are all the tools and seeds you need. You. seem like strong and sensible young lady. Nobody need know what you are doing, as my place is SO secluded, and all the time your mother will be getting her health while you arc gain ing strength and perhaps making money. There aro three or four things that pay @ANAN A-A 4CNA A4ibNA I4lN1t siit lJOiulOtSs onions, arrowroot and Easter lilies. The first three arc too difficult for you to manage, but the last, it seems to me, would be easy to cultivate and pleasant to raise. Now, enc ccrncr of that plot is already planted with Easter bulbs, and if you will take the care of them off my hands l shall feel greatly obliged and will divide the profits with you into the bargain 3
 Womanlike, ] jumped at this generous offer, and, to make long story short, tended those lilies so assiduously that even the first season profits were very satisfactory The second seasons were much moro so, and the third and fourth found Us with q surplus of cash to our credit and half the little vale planted with bulbs
 Our good old friend died the fourth year of our stay, but left us life inter est i'll his estate for small considera- tion, and we continued in tho occupa- tion which we had found so pleasant, and which promised to Ec so profitable. My mother regained her health and from choice worked with me i'll the gar den, while 1 myself had become SO at tached to the place and so eontented at my labors that doubt if anything in the world could draw mo away.
 There arc objectionable features, of course, mainly depending upon yom. ans performance Of what is usually done by men. The middlemen doubtless rob. bed me at times, he lilies did not al. ways arrivc i'll New York ill good con. dition, and sometimes the bulbs wouId be injured by a protracted sea voyage. Again, land cannot Le purchased here by alien Americans, as the Belanudas constitute a military colony, and only those loyal and subject to the British queen can own real estate, but long leases are easy to obtain, and thus all danger of forfeiture is obyiatcd.
 And there is also a peculiar satiSfac. tion in the reflection that all this love liness was. in sense. the creation of my own hands, sensation enly under. stood by those who have gardens of their own. SARA ENDIcoTT STANDLEY.