Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-12-22

should it all be shut up in boOksT 1T is So"
said my father. God made the world, and he
put the flowers here as we'll as the potatoes
have no patience with those who do not follow
God" "To be sure" said my little mother land
the weeds are here to teach us diligence and pa
tience" But the quack" said my father, that
might as well be left out" and the burdocks,"
said she, ARE excellent for beer and the leaves
are good for draughts." Perhaps if we could
see it," said he, call things are good" Ills for
us to make the best Of everything" said she. And
as our jim came up, she pNt her hand on his
arm and on mine, and then said slowly: ""Tis
world in which we make beautiful boys and
girlS-if first ourselves are right. What more
could aSk?
And the birds ah, but you should have seen how
they nestled about that house. "1hey will eat all
the Cherries, said my Uncle George, and he raped
his cane Justify on the floor of the porch But our
father smiled and said, Let us count them all
into our family and plant for them also when we
plant" So he put in a. few rows of peas more,
and said, They for the orioles" And dozen
cherry trees down by the fence for the robins
and for the cedar birds who have cherry tooth.
Then he went up to the woods edge, nearby the
big heecheS, where there were wild cherries, and
into these he put sCionS of finer sorts; "for the
birds, my boys" So the robins, and the bluebrds,
and the wrens, and indigo birds and the gold
tnches and the catbirds and all other sorts of
more, came to us; and they filled the trees with
nests, and they paid for all they took in song and
helpful labor And robin built Its nest in the
window seat of his bedroom and sang to him in
the morning. while he lay in his bed. Ah yes,
they worked well together, my father and the
birds.
The barn not far away otis not decent"
said the little mother. "There should be shade
for the cows and the pigs and the hens" "You
are right, little mother" said my father and he
brought a load of willow sticks and he planted
them all the way around the barn and its yard.
And these grew and throve nightly, and at last
they were great grove, that hung all over the
barn and hid it. The little mother said, Did
not tell yOu?-and then she drew the breath cOOlly
through one corner of her mouth as she surveyed
the transformation. Indeed, you did, little moth
er-you said it-and no one would have done it,
had you not" And the hens Cackled their delight,
and the cows at night lay down facing the moon,
it sifted in between the leaves and all day they
were nicely comforted from the sun. And when
old Daisy went to the tub to drink she would look
up between sips, if to say, "The Lord be praised
for this shady yard" true barnyard Is a de-
lghtfu place, full of peace and love. Lilah the
collie, comes and puts her head through the gate
once an hour, and, surveying matters, says, Eyes,
all is 1t should be; all is correct" then she goes
back to run along where jim and and father
are at work in the orchard. Or if 1t be-and it
really is-Or 1t ought to be, New Years day, she
looks in at the kitchen window, and waits till we
open the door that she may curl up by the fire.
But George III gets up his hind feet to the
door latch and rattles 1t, and then waits till we
let him in. true cat is half human. All If
buff they could once get articulation, what
would Of it? 1t is well that they cannot
for they would rout out and dspossess half or
more Of the human sort. SO with quack and
thistles, and talking cats and collie dogs we
should be made either wiser or killed off
"Come" said my uncle George "let make our
New Years call ~ In those days it was not yet
forgotten to be neighbory, and once year we all
expected to look in on each other and break
bread, or at least cut cake. And we sat down to a
bit of gossip and exchanged news; and when it
was over everybody knew all about everybody
else, and there need at all to print it. But
shall tell you nothing at all about It, 1t was our
own business and simple folks, and you
who live today have your big notions and your
new ways and you laugh too easily. So our New
Years day went by In its own homely way and we
had our calls: and we went home at night and
rubbed our hands and our stomachs and were con-
tent Not one of us envied your telephones and
teegraphs and other 'knck-kiacks-or ever gave
them thought Bless the Lord enough is enough,
and it is not likely you have any idea of
what will be about hundred years from now.
Indeed I think they will call you savages Plsh,