52 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETT. 



Hiildah's influence, Huldah's orders and Huldah's strong, willing 

 hands bad brought it all about, the beds of bright flowers, the mats 

 of strawberry vines, the prett}' bordered walks and rows upon rows 

 of thrift}- 3'oung fruit trees — plum and apple and cherry, which black 

 knot and curculio pests vainly tried to molest. 



The south end of the Thompson garden skirted the road that 

 wound over and around the hills that lay between two countr}- villages : 

 but the white pickets of its high, trim fence could not shut out from 

 the view of passers-by, the beautiful blossoms and vmes and ripening 

 clusters of fruit therein. 



"Huldah's garden is a living reproach to me, because we haven't 

 a bit of a flower patch at our house ;" or, "I never see Huldah's 

 garden but I am tempted to lay out grounds just like it for our 

 women folks ;" or, "When I'm grown up, I'll have just such a garden 

 as Huldah's, see if I don't ! Flowers and berries and grapes and 

 plums, — grists of 'era to eat and give away just as Huldah does ; 

 see if I don't !" were the thoughts that the beautiful, thrifty garden, 

 with its wealth of color and fragrance, lying close to the country 

 roadside, set stirring in the minds of old and young passers-by. 



Voiceless 3'et earnest sermons are such grounds, waking into life 

 warm inspirations and ambitions in those who will notice them, to go 

 and do likewise. Who of us would dare measure the length and 

 breadth of the influence such a garden carries, especially with the 

 little children who longingly peer through the pickets, or, when per- 

 mission is given, go eagerly tip-toeing along its walks, gazing with 

 admiration and keen interest on this and that flower and plant, and 

 stowing awa}' in the active, retentive mind earnest resolutions and 

 purposes to have just such beautiful blossoms and fruit and neatly 

 kept flower beds and walks, when that long dallying ship comes in — 

 "when I am grown up." 



Little Edith Quint, on her waj- to and from school, alwaj's stopped 

 to run to Huldah Thompson's garden fence, to peer through its pickets 

 and take note of the opening flowers and ripening fruit. 



Rain or sunshine, it was the same, and Huldah often gave the 

 little girl, who so eagerly watched her at her work, whether it was 

 picking luscious fruit or weeding garden paths, handfuls of bright 

 blossoms and red ripe berries. But to give her a budded cutting or 

 a flower root she had not thought to do, not knowing but that the child 

 had an abundance of such plants in her own home. 



