Old and New Homes. 197 



ed, a neat Gothic framework was completed, which formed a covered avenue 

 leading from the front gate to the house, over which the vines, already five 

 feet high, will form a glorious bower when the summer returns. 



But our improvements did not end here ; for my father could not help ob- 

 serving how shabbily the paling-fence looked, with the gate so rickety, and 

 swinging on leather hinges. This was soon arranged ; and, much to our 

 delight, a neat New-England fence was substituted for the old eyesore ; and 

 then a coat of black tar-paint suggested a decided idea of iron-work : at 

 any rate, we were as well satisfied with it as if it were really a costly iron 

 fence. 



" Now," said my mother, " I shall not be ashamed to show our place to 

 the Browns, or any one else who may come." 



I know, that, when summer returns, we shall have as pretty a lawn and 

 piazza as can be desired. There is a wistaria twined around one of the 

 posts, a clematis at another, and roses for the rest, with several other choice 

 vines ready to be set out when spring arrives. As for our grape-vines, they 

 will probably yield us not only refreshing shade, but also many pounds of 

 fruit. My father intends, also, to set out others along the side of the house, 

 to be trained up as is so often done with fruit-trees. Grapes here are very 

 profitable to those who have undertaken to raise them for market ; and I 

 have heard of persons gathering very abundant crops. Of course, those 

 who devote acres to the cultivation train them upon low, upright frames, 

 and keep them trimmed well at the top. This causes them to throw out 

 lateral branches, from which the fruit is more cjnveniently gathered ; but, 

 as we set a high value upon the shade as well as the fruit, we shall con- 

 tent ourselves with a smaller amount of the latter, and allow the leafy 

 robbers to spread themselves over our Gothic archway until the branches 

 are thickly intertwined. 



As I draw this, our first year's experience, to a close, I feel that we have 

 much cause for satisfaction. We have exchanged one pleasant home for 

 another, with the choice decidedly in favor of the new one. Not that we 

 have forgotten our old friends in New England, and all the pleasant days 

 of auld lang syne, but that our toils are lightened, and our profits larger 

 than ever before. I hope, therefore, that my prudent father, after a few 

 years of careful management, will be able to retire from hard work, and 



