

CMWOOD ENCMEDINBO 





He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much.— LvKS 16:10. 



MYSELF AND MY NEIGHBORS. 



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Who is mj' neighbor?— LuKK 10: 29. 



T was toward eveninp;, just after a beauti- 

 ful summer sliower, that I was on the 

 street-ears in tlie beautiful town of Ar- 

 lino'lon, in the northern suburbs of Bos- 

 ton, Mass. The whole place was almost 

 a ffiii'deii of Eden to me. on account of the 

 vesetaltle-gardens that spread out on eve- 

 ry hand. I had succeeded in linding just 

 the spot that I had for so many years longed 

 for— the spot Miiere gardening is conducted 

 up to the highest standard of intelligence ; 

 for it was just outside the limits of the great 

 city that some of the Massachusetts people 

 entitle the '■ Hub of the Universe." I felt 

 as if 1 could have walked the whole tliirteen 

 miles to the city; but it would have taken 

 too long a time, therefore I stepped ai)oard 

 of a bright, new, spacious, and airy street- 

 car, such as they have in tlie suburbs of 

 cities. All at once a vision sprang up be- 

 fore us, so bright and beautiful I almost 

 wondered if it could be real. A llorist had 

 arranged, on a beautiful lawn that sloped 

 toward the street, figures of wondrous beau- 

 ty, all made by planting different-hued co- 

 leuses. The recent shower had washed ev- 

 ery particle of dust from the beautiful foli- 

 age, and the colors flamed out like those of 

 a rainbow. The thought instantly sprang 

 up into my mind, " A painting in which the 

 colors are done by the finger of God." 



A good many tilings contributed to make 

 me hapjiy that July evening. The residences 

 along either side of the street were most 

 beautiful ; and glimpses of long rows of cel- 



ery-plants contrasted with rows of different 

 kinds of lettuce between them ; then rows 

 of other vegetables, as they Hashed from 

 the open, spaces between the dwellings, 

 Avhich were quite a good distance apart, all 

 contributed toward making me feel as if I 

 had been almost transported to some fairy 

 land. 



Just as the work of the florist passed from 

 view, a pair of spirited ponies came up from 

 behind us on the other side, with a liglit, 

 graceful, and fantastic carriage. The horses 

 were a pair that might pleasethe eye of any 

 lover of the horse kind. The buggy might 

 also call forth expressions of wonder and de- 

 light, it was so unique. The occupants were 

 a couple of young ladies ; and at iirst glance 

 one would be inclined to pronounce them 

 people of rare intelligence, and from the 

 higher circles in life. They found actpiaint- 

 ances on the street-car, so they drove along- 

 side while they chatted. My eyes first fixed 

 themselves on the horses, then on the car- 

 riage, and finally on the occupants. I had 

 been gazing in dazed wonder, almost, at; the 

 coleus-bed, and now I sat silent while I gaz- 

 ed for a brief moment at my neighlxns op- 

 posite me in the carriage. Yes, I think they 

 were my neighbors, even if they were beau- 

 tiful — yes, woiidrously beautiful. Jesus 

 called our attention to the way in 'which 

 God has arrayed the lilies of the field so that 

 even Solomon in all his glory was not array- 

 ed like one of them. Now, if God has given 

 beautiful forms and colors to the floral and 

 vegetable world— yes, even to the different 

 forms of animal life (the horses at my side) 

 is it any thing wonderful or strange that, 



