The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1921-12-30

All the time she was gathering in her apron
cropped rose leaves and poppy leaves to press be-
tween the leaves Of the big Bible.
little down the slope lay the vegetable garden
OF my father. full of long. narrow beds, all turned
over each year by the spade and the spine. Oh
Lord but yet have the memory of 1t In my back
why had they not thought of gardens to be fur
rowed by horsepower? But they had not. l think
because they were yet too full of Old England
ana Yankee was, after all. the most initiative
creature In the world He shook his fist and
wagged his tongue like the great bell at Moscow
at the world Englishman but for all that he was
himself English. both In his stomach and In his
mead. lie not only spaded his gardens but he
took his SNUFF like Englishman, and he built
MS renee after an English pattern. What else
could explain why he had many little yards
about our house, and built our house close down
by the road? As IL we were crowded into a little
island and had not room enough to turn around
IN we are more Independent now. and really
are getting some notions of own But then
our house stood only stones throw from the
highway. and there was little box of yard In
front, and this was full Of locust trees and honey
suckes and there mt night the honey moths would
come and play high-spy In the blossoms. George
III our great gray cat. would sit down to look
Mt one that came too near--for what was Il pa
bird or a butterfly? And like all of u.s. he was
bit of a naturalist. He liked very much 10 classl-
fy the world but never hestated to put the cholc-
est specimens In his stomach which Is see. the
way with other scientists. They will eat a
megalothoporoid as quick as pig.
But you should have seen the "sturtions" as they
grew In rows all about the vegetable beds for our
father also had an eye to beauty. Did he not set
hollyhocks all about his fieds2 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. as
the little mother liked best those who ate most of
her goodies. The saffron and dill and the rue
and rosemary, and carraway. and fennel. and the
mints 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:
hut II not so bad an exchange, And as for
the notions, they may have been worse than
the guesses of the profession nowadays.
There Is no good living where there are no
brooks, and this was brook of the first water
II dubbed out of rocky hollow. little secret
cavern, and then II laughed and tumbled for half
a mile before II got over Its fun. The little mother
In summer would walk with us 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 wtchhazel and the yellow birch
and the beechdrops." Oh 1t was glorious fun.
But at night, after work the dear father would
come early from the field. and say. Now let us
all go for Strawberries" Then-ah but how can
tell you such delicious joys You know nothing
Of wild strawberries much less do you know the
delight of creeping about the meadows and down
by the stumps In the pastures while the bobolnk
whistles. and the brooks gurgled, we 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 it's such tricks the mem,
DRY plays. We will get Mt once hack to the house
The front door, as you see. opens just In the mid
die In halves and from that the hall runs back ms
straight AS Puritan's nose. riCit through every.
thing till II lands In the big kitchen. And the two
halves OF the door swing open separately. | know
not why II was. unless II were an inheritance from
pioneer days. when Il well tn be able TO look
out and parley u little before opening the way for
an Indian rush. So, at any rate, all the doors In
those days were cut across the middle In the big
yard was the woodshed, and that was fun of niles
OF wood as dry finder. II was the comfort of
winter. and the very right of a successful
home. From the woodshed 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 bittersweet. and
all the stone curb of the well was wild
white-howering clematis.
Father" said the little priesteSs "'ts as well
to cultivate the beautiful and enjoy It. WHY