THE STRAWBERRY GARDEN. 201 



CHAPTER XII. 



THINGS WAKE UP GENERALLY. 



THE winter slipped away and spring advanced. The 

 Wellson prospects improved slowly, and things looked 

 brighter. The returning sun seemed to revive all nature, 

 and men became more hopeful and cheerful as the earth 

 laid aside its snowy raiment and made up its face for a 

 smile. Warmer airs from the far south stirred the snow- 

 drops into life, and brought to Mary vague hints of coming 

 joy. A bird sang in the pear-tree by her window. Per- 

 haps it was a messenger from him who wandered. She 

 flung up the sash to hear the new " spring song without 

 words." Down in the garden she could hear the active 

 Johnny at work in his strawberry plantation. She would 

 go down and get a breath of the sweet air, and see what 

 her brother was about. 



When she reached the garden she found Kate there also. 

 Not an idler in the land either. She, stout and rosy girl 

 that she was, illustrated the advantage of an out-of-door 

 life, both in person and cheery good nature. 



"0 Polly! have you seen 'em? Such splendid green 

 shoots bursting through the ground. I can almost see the 

 young blossoms. Look ! " 



