MY SUMMER IN A GARDEN. 121 



in such a belligerent fashion, with this 

 terrible mitrailleuse of gardening. 



The tomatoes are getting tired of 

 ripening, and are beginning to go into a 

 worthless condition, green. The cu 

 cumbers cumber the ground, great yel 

 low, over-ripe objects, no more to be com 

 pared to the crisp beauty of their youth 

 than is the fat swine of the sty to the 

 clean little pig. The nutmeg-melons, 

 having covered themselves with deli 

 cate lace-work, are now ready to leave 

 the vine. I know they are ripe if they 

 come easily off the stem. 



Moral Observations. You can tell 

 when people are ripe by their willing 

 ness to let go. Kichness and ripeness 

 are not exactly the same. The. rich are 

 apt to hang to the stem with tenacity. 

 I have nothing against the rich. If I 

 were not virtuous, I should like to be 

 rich. But we cannot have every thing, 



