50 Old Time Gardens 



front yard and flowers were both too much respected. 

 Only formal visitors entered therein, visitors who 

 opened the gate and closed it carefully behind them, 

 and knocked slowly with the brass knocker, and were 

 ushered in through the ceremonious front door and 

 the little ill-contrived entry, to the stiff fore-room or 

 parlor. The parson and his wife entered that portal, 

 and sometimes a solemn would-be sweetheart, or the 

 guests at a tea party. It can be seen that every one 

 who had enough social dignity to have a front door 

 and a parlor, and visitors thereto, also desired a 

 front yard with flowers as the external token of that 

 honored standing. It was like owning a pew in 

 church ; you could be a Christian without having a 

 pew, but not a respected one. Sometimes when 

 there was a " vandue " in the house, reckless folk 

 opened the front gate, and even tied it back. I 

 attended one where the auctioneer boldly set the 

 articles out through the windows under the Lilac 

 bushes and even on the precious front yard plants. 

 A vendue and a funeral were the only gatherings 

 in country communities when the entire neighbor- 

 hood came freely to an old homestead, when all 

 were at liberty to enter the front dooryard. At the 

 sad time when a funeral took place in the house, 

 the front gate was fastened widely open, and solemn 

 men-neighbors, in Sunday garments, stood rather 

 uncomfortably and awkwardly around the front 

 yard as the women passed into the house of 

 mourning and were seated within. When the sad 

 services began, the men too entered and stood 

 stiffly by the door. Then through the front door, 



