Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1924-03-21
Discovering
Fruitful Soil
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

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90. 1924, by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.)
Jean looked out over the little bar
rem garden that would have been twin
to her own had that other one been
planted and nurtured as hers had been,
But the people who lived In that other
house were either too lazy or too in
different to take ON the added tolls Of
gardening.
Just ten-cent package Of seeds
and a dozen or two bulbs would cheer
up the whole place." sighed Jean. II
know that beautiful loamy earth is
just crying aloud for something TO
feed and make grow" jeans own wee
patch Of garden was a tumble Of color
and fragrance and joy even though
she and her brother Jim both sprinted
for the $50 train to the city every
morning and dashed home again from
the 9 :16.
The rising sun often saw Jean out
with trowel and fork tenderly admin
istering to her flowers.
"And poor mother earth next door
has no lovely children to bring up"
grieved Jean.
She stopped on her way home that
night and bought a mixture Of flower
seeds, hardy and able perhaps to grow
In spite Of lack of attention. And in
the dusk of the evening, when Jim was
away for his evening ramble, Jean
stepped near to the low dividing fence
between the two gardens and, with
swift glance to make sure she was
not observed from the windows, she
swiftly flung her seeds broadcast over
the loamy earth.
Nature favored her that night with
a soft, Embedding rain.
mo Ill wind can blow those seeds
away now" rejOiced Jean and decided
during the dark of some night, to steal
out with some Of her oversupply of
bulbs and slip them into that mother
earth as well.
She dared not tell her brother what
she had done for fear Of being teased.
Two or three days afterward she
saw the young man who occupied the
house with his mother coming slowly
down the path. He looked frall as IL
recovering from a long Illness and
Jean imagined that sigh escaped his
lips as he gazed at the cOlorless, I'M
kept garden about him. His eyes
frightened as they looked beyond to
that fragrant mass of flowers that
were Jeans. However, he was re-
signed and sat down In the sun to
read.
All the way to the city on Mon
sorbed in thoughts of the young man
next door. She hoped he would not
be angry when flowers began to sprout
in his garden.
A few weeks went by and nothing
much happened except that the earth
began to crack against the appearance
of tiny shoots, and also Jean knew
that her next door nelghbor was gain
ing in strength, for he was now en-
gagged In building small hencoOp at
the foot Of his garden, and the little
white-haired lady who lowered about
him had a continual smile In her eyes
as they rested upon the big son whom
she had had saved to- her through his
serious illness.
More weeks went by and ambitious
green things were evident to the most
casual observer.
"Our neighbors have bucked up and
put In some seeds this year." com
lmented Jim as they made their hasty
exit from the house for the 8 80 train
t'Guess he's been a bit seedy. Going
TO have some chickens, too, from the
book of the back yard"
Jean had colored swiftly, but Jim
had not observed 1t.
FLOWERS improve any property" she
remarked.
And one morning when Jean, laden
with early dawn pep and some lmple-
ments Of gardening, beheld In their
own back garden a tiny chicken coop
with half dozen of the fullest wee
chicks she had ever dotted on, pecking
vigorously at nothing, she blushed
|hotly.
And down the next garden, laden
with some early morning chicken food,
sauntered the young man.
He was whistling and not a glance
did he cast over the fence.
But Jean decided to speak Shortly
her brother would be rising and she
wanted to get this scene over before
be put in an appearance. She feared
'brotherly opinion and the unstlnted
brOtherly teasing
Good morningl" she called oyer the
fence. II wonder If you know any
thing about these chicks being hereT
The young man, Jack Deane by
name, came swiftly nearer.
"Why, no." he falslfed calmly.
i"This neighborhOOd seems haunted by
generous fingers. Some weeks ago
my garden was presented with
galaxy Of seeding and"
Jeans color was wonderful to be-
hold.
"The wind could easily toss seeds
from one garden into the other" she
maintained.
Seeds, yes" he agreed, but 1t
would be a bit Of a strong wind and
b most intelligent one that could blow
bulbs into a straight little row and"
Laughter ringing, youthful and glo-
rlously happy, brought a little white
haired lady TO one window and q
sleepy brother Jim to another.
In the little lady's eyes was a con.
tented smile. Jim wondered now II
the young chap next door would prove
4 good golfer and hoped he was fond
" country rambles.
The little lady went down the gardeI
and linked her arm In that Of her BIZ,