FARM ECHOES. 43 



path, where the boy would come suddenly upon him. As 

 John came in sight, the captain, wrapped in the sheet, 

 extended both arms full length, and expected his boy 

 would make for home full speed. John, however, stood 

 calmly before the mysterious object, and, after surveying 

 it for a while, as calmly exclaimed : " What can that be ? 

 Master spoke about 'feerd,' I guess that must be 

 'feerd.' Yes! That, I guess, is Old Feerd, and that 

 other by his side must be Young Feerd." 



Hearing of another "feerd," the captain ~stole a sly 

 side glance to his left, from under the sheet, and was 

 surprised to find such an object near him. Alarmed 

 by the apparition, he took to his heels and was closely 

 followed by the monkey, who always felt bound to do 

 just what his master did, and, like him, was robed in 

 white. 



There is usually a garden, even if only a small one, 

 connected with a farm. Some country or farm gardens 

 that I had seen before coming here, appeared to abound 

 in nothing but sun-flowers, probably because there were 

 so many of that delicate and modest-faced plant as to 

 keep the sun from all the others, and thus kill them, 

 poor things ! 



It is well that farming is not inseparably connected 

 with gardening, for I have no taste for the latter, though 

 a decidedly keen one for the products of a well-kept 

 garden. Mine is a taste that makes fruits and vegetables 

 fresh from a garden, preferable to those that have spent 

 the best portion of their brief existence seeking a pur- 

 chaser, often not finding one until over-ripe old age. 



When I first came here I was presented by a friend 



