126 MY SUMMER IN A GARDEN. 



ligerent fashion, with this terrible mitrailleuse 

 of gardening. 



The tomatoes are getting tired of ripening, 

 and are beginning to go into a worthless con 

 dition, green. The cucumbers cumber the 

 ground, great yellow, over-ripe objects, no 

 more to be compared 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 delicate 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 peo 

 ple are ripe by their willingness to let go. Rich 

 ness 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 everything, as the man said 



