The Ordway new era., 1921-12-30

AL the time she mas gathering In her apron
dropped rose leaves and poppy leaves TO press be-
tween the leaves Of the big Bible
E-tle down the slope lay the vegetable garden
q NY father. fuu Of long narrow beds. all turned
over each year by the spade and the spine. Oh.
Lord, but yeS have the memory Of it In my back
Why had they not thought Of gardens TO be fur
-oEed by horsepower But they had not. I think
b@zEse they were YET full OF Old England
and Yankee vas. after all. the most Initiative
creature In the world He shook his fist, and
ragged his tongue Ike the great bell at Moscow
AZ tie world Engiishnan. but for all that he was
himself English. both In his stomach and in his
head He not only spaded his gardens, but he
took his snUI like Engshman. and he built
his fence after English pattern. What else
could explain why he had so many little yards
about or house. and built our house close down
by the road: AS If we were crowded Into little
islsnd- and had not room enough TO turn around
in We more independent now. and really
are getting notions of But then
our house stood only stones throw from the
highway, and there was little box of a yard in
front and this was full Of locust trees and honey
s1ckles. and there at night the honey moths would
come and play high-spy in the blossoms George
III. cur great gray cat would sit down to look
at one that came too near-for what it?-a
bird butterfly? And Ike all OF US. he
bit Of a naturalist He liked very much TO classi-
fy the world. but hestated TO put the choic-
est specimens In his stomach which Is see, the
way with other scientists They will eat
negalothoporoid quick a pig.
But you should have seen the "sturtions" as they
grew In rows all about the vegetable beds, for
father also had eye 10 beauty. Did he not set
hollyhOeks all about his feldsf Then, when
the great stalks of crimson and gold stood up In
summer, and the folk that went by to church
stopped TO look with admiration. he said. Truly
shall not live BY bread alone" And he liked
best those neighbors who looked the longest,
the little mother liked best those who ate most of
and rosemary. and carraway, and fennel, and the
minis grew by the brook that down back of
the house and garden; and indeed. there were
also more of these herbs that stood always in the
place Of family doctor. Indeed. you may look:
but It was not bad exchange. And for
the notions, they may have been no worse than
the guesses Of the profession nowadays.
There is no good-liying where there are no
brooks and this a brook of the first water.
It bubbIed out Of rocky hollow some little secret
cavern. and then II laughed and tumbled for half
mile before II got its fun. The little mother
In summer would walk with there. and she
would sometimes say. Now let us go father over
TO the glen. where the bigger brook is, and the
ferns and the witehhazel and the yellow birch,
and the beechdrops- Oh, 1t was glorious fun
come early from the field, and say. Now let US
sill go for Strawberries Then-ah, but how can
/ tell you such delicious joysi You know nothing
Of Wild Strawberries much less do you know the
by the stumps in the pastures. while the bobolink
whistles, and the brooks gurged, as gathered
the long stems that lay lovingly against the grass.
Where are we: had no business out of season
and in midwinter to take you through snow banks
TO pick strawberries. But tbs such tricks the men,
ory plays. We will get at once back to the house.
The front door, you see, opens just In the mid
die in halves, and from that the hall runs back as
straight as Puritan's nose, right through every
thing. till 1t lands in the big kitchen. And the two
halves of the door swing open separately. 1 know
not why it was. unless it were inheritance from
pioneer days. when it was we'll to be able to look
out and pariey a little before opening the way for
an Indian rush. So, at any rate, all the doors in
those days we're cut across the middle. In the big
yard was the woodshed and that full Of piles
of wood as dry as tinder. II was the comfort Of
winter. and the very right arm Of successful
home. From the woodshed we all went, kicking
first the dirt from boots into the great living
room. where were all together. Over this door
was twined with care great bittersweef, and
all over the stone curb Of the wen was : VIA
white-howefing clematis
sFather" sid he little pfiestsas 'tis = vaIl
to cultivate the beautifa and enjoy II WY
-