THE DELIGHTS OF FAITH 



WOMAN first saw the light of day in a garden, and 

 could she cherish the faith that "in paradise a gar- 

 den lies" what comfort could be hers! The suburban 

 bride, settled in her new home, goes to town at the first 

 sign that spring is on the way, bent upon investing in gar- 

 den tools. The last snowbank has not retreated before the 

 March sunshine, and you may see her going forth one of 

 these fair mornings equipped with garden gloves, a hoe, 

 and a rake. 



The turf is still soggy, and the piles of leaves heaped 

 in the corners near the porch and at the roots of trees are 

 water-soaked masses. It is too early to dig, and the rake 

 has uncovered no ambitious green sprouts. Even lilac 

 buds are backward and, while swollen, show the wisdom 

 of waiting a little longer. Each hour the sky changes, 

 and the weather vane tilts uncertainly. 



So the bride leans on her rake, enjoying the sunlight 

 that warms the brisk little breeze blowing from the south, 

 and looks abroad up and down the road to find what the 

 rest of the world is about. A moment before she had 

 been lost in a day-dream of a hedge of goldenglow, of 

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