Christian fiction; Families -- Fiction; Love stories
Mrs. Hollister asked him how much he would charge to see where it would
be best to have the ploughing done, and when she came in a few minutes
later and dropped down on the couch to rest from her unusual fatigue a
new thought was racing through her mind. They could have a garden, a
real garden, with lettuce and green peas and lima beans and corn! She
knew all about making them grow. She had been brought up in a little
village home, where a garden was a part of every one's necessary
equipment for living. She used to kelp her father every spring and all
summer. Her own little patch always took the prize of the family. But
for years she had been in the city without an inch of space. Now,
however, the old fever of delight in gardening took possession of her.
If she could get out and work in the ground, as the doctor had
suggested, she would get well right away. And why, with Harley to
help, and George and Carol to work a little every evening, couldn't
they raise enough on all that ground to sell some? George could take
things into town early in the morning, or they could find some private
families who would buy all they had to sell. It was worth thinking
about, anyway. She could raise flowers for sale, too. She had always
been a success with flowers. She had always wanted a hothouse and a
chance to experiment. She heard the children say there were some old
window-sashes down under the barn. She would get George to bring them
out, and see what she could do with a coldframe or two. Violets would
grow under a coldframe, and a lot of other things. Oh, if they could
only just live here always, and not have to go back to the city in the
fall! But of course there was no way to heat the barn in winter, and
that was out of the question. Nevertheless, the idea of making some
money with growing things had seized hold of her mind and would not be
entirely put by. She thought of it much, and talked of it now and then
to Shirley and the other children.
Shirley brought home some packages of seeds she got at the ten-cent
store, and there was great excitement planting them. Then Mr. Graham
sent over a lot of seeds, of both vegetables and flowers, and some
shrubs, cuttings and bulbs which he said were "left-overs" at their
country house that he thought perhaps the children could use; and so
before the Hollisters knew it they were possessed of a garden, which
almost in a breath lifted up its green head and began to grow.
Life was very full for the Hollisters in those days, and those who went
to the city for the day could hardly bear to tear themselves away from
the many delights of the country. The puppy was getting bigger and
wiser every day, tagging Doris and Harley wherever they went, or
sitting adoringly at Mrs. Hollister's feet; always bounding out to meet
the evening trolley on which George and Shirley came, and always
attending them to the trolley in the morning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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