May 11. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
101 
In conclusion, let me observe, tliat Ido not by any 
means recommend the planting of vegetables on wall 
borders; but in so many instances this seems so indispen¬ 
sable, tliat I have advised the above remedies to an evil 
which cannot always be averted. 1, therefore, strongly 
urge on all who have such borders suffering from the 
causes alluded to, to begin at once and correct the mis¬ 
chief. It is true the trees may not seem to take any 
harm in some places where a good soil and other generous 
treatment is awarded them, but they are sure to feci it in 
time, consequently, it is certainly better to make the 
vegetable crop subservient to the present state of treat¬ 
ment, and leave the ground with as much as possible of 
its maiden freshness to support the less greedy, but more 
nice, appetite of the Peach and kindred trees, and I have 
no doubt but their health and usefulness will be pro¬ 
longed to a greater period by that means than by any 
other mode of management. J. Rohson. 
THE SOLDIER AS HE OUGHT TO BE. 
No. 2. 
I now proceed to lay on a few finishing touches to the 
picture of Thomas Mills. In the quiet of private life, per¬ 
haps, there is less of interest to the reader, but it proves 
more satisfactorily what the man really is, and shows liischar¬ 
acter in a more trying light than before. In the hurry and 
excitement of active, service, under military discipline, and with 
many eyes upon him, a man. does not always appear what 
he really is. It is when lie settles down, and is his own 
master, and off his guard, that he becomes his real self. 
Tliat is the trying time. If the evening of life corresponds 
with the morning, we who cannot see into the heart, may 
speak well of the day ; hut until then, we must speak softly. 
Sparkes's evening of life set in with clouds and darkness ; 
but Thomas Mills still shines brightly, as an example to all 
who dwell around him. Kindly disposed ; strictly moral in 
walk and conversation; active, industrious, and clever in 
any outdoor employment, he is always ready and willing to 
oblige his neighbours by every means in his power. Clean¬ 
liness and regularity are very striking in him, though sol¬ 
diers are generally noticed for these qualities ; and such is 
his entire respectability, tliat beis known and approved by the 
resident families of the neighbourhood, and intrusted fear¬ 
lessly, by the officer who lias the payment of certain pen¬ 
sioners, to transact money affairs, when assistance is 
required for the purpose. 
Mills has never been seen in a public-house, nr a beer- 
shop, or with idle and worthless characters. He loves, and 
diligently attends the House of God; and by so doing is, at 
least, in the way of righteousness. We cannot confidently 
speak of all who are regular attendants at church, I am 
grieved to say. Sparkes is never absent from his place, 
either; and one or two notorious characters, also, are always 
to be seen there too. There is a fearful description of res¬ 
pectable sinners in the 38th cliap. of Isaiah; a picture 
drawn by the hand of the Lord himself, which no man can 
gain say or resist, and it bears strongly upon the subject 
in hand. “Vet they seek me-daily, and delight to know my 
ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not 
the ordinance of their God : they ask of me the ordinances 
of justice ; they take delight in approaching to God.” 
Readers ! we may take delight in approaching to God, and 
yet be outcasts ! How it behoves ns to sift ourselves ; for 
outward sin may he unperceived, while inward corruption is 
doing the work of death ! 
Mills had, at first, a poor, wet bit of a garden; but his dili¬ 
gence and skill made it flourish. How it should encourage 
us to labour in the “ garden enclosed” of our own hearts, 
when we see what can be done with barren soil before our 
eyes, and when we have a fuller assurance of the “ early and 
latter rain,” than any husbandman has to rest upon ! Now, 
however, his outward concerns are improved; he has 
another cottage and a better garden, and is no doubt as 
thankful and contented as when ho told the writer of his 
little memoir. “All, sir! it is very snug and comfortable, 
and almost fit to he the residence of Prince Albert.” Surely 
“ a contented mind is a continual feast.” 
There is, in the neighbourhood of Mills’s dwelling, one of 
those interesting associations for the encouragement of 
cottage gardeners and labouring poor. Premiums and 
prizes of various kinds are offered, and a spur is given to 
the diligence and endeavours of the humble classes, not 
only to cultivate the productions of the garden, but to con¬ 
duct themselves, and bring up their families, with credit 
and respectability. I have, indeed, heard that such associa¬ 
tions do harm, by raising the bad feelings of men, instead 
of encouraging sound principles; and I think, where the 
desire of triumphing over each other, and the mortification 
of losing the victory are excited, harm must certainly spring 
up : but having no personal opportunity of judging, I pass 
the matter by, with the remark of the writer : “ we can only 
say to those who have joined it here, and of those districts 
where such an association is wanting, ‘ Go ye, and do 
likewise.’” 
Mills gained a handsome certificate, in a gilt frame, stating 
his having gained the first prize of X‘3, for having brought 
up a large family without parish relief. This was, of course, 
a subject of thankfulness, and a very honourable distinction; 
and it is to be hoped that Mills gave glory to Him “ who 
caused him to differ ” from many who might as freely have 
gained a like good character. Too often it is not the hard¬ 
ness of the times that starves poor families, hut, as Solomon 
says : “ The drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; 
and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” 
I cannot better close this sketch of Thomas Mills than in 
the words of the original narrator: “ P>y grace are we saved, 
not by works, lest any man should boast;” and, though a 
moral character, or any good works, so called, avail us 
nothing without the grace of God in Christ, they are the 
evidences of our faith, according to which we shall be judged 
by One who knows the heart; and they are the outward, 
visible signs by which, jf at all, we may form an opinion of 
each other : “by their fruits ye shall know them there¬ 
fore it behoves us, not only for our own sakes, but for the 
encouragement and example of others, to be careful of good 
works; and when we find them in others who act and walk 
consistently, duly to appreciate them, which has been one 
reason for my bringing forward the character of Thomas 
Mills as worthy of observation and imitation. 
. . . . Numerous instances shew that there are some 
quite as pious and moral men in the army as in other 
classes of society. I have known several such, I am happy 
to say, and it is constantly seen and experienced, that a 
well- disposed man who endeavours to do bis duty in that 
state of life in which it has pleased God to cal! him, will he 
honoured and respected, whatever his calling, or occupation, 
or rank in life may lie. A writer in The Churchman's Penny 
Magazine says: “ I love old soldiers ; they are always cour¬ 
teous, always entertaining, not seldom instructive. When 
the grace of God has reached the heart they are often 
men of no ordinary attainments in spiritual things.” I can 
only say that these observations are justly borne ont in the 
subject of this narrative. “ The way of transgressors is 
hard,” whilst, on the contrary, even in this life, the happi¬ 
ness, and comfort, and peace of mind of a poor man, like 
the one I would wish to pourtray, very far exceeds that of 
many who are rich in earthly possessions and means of 
enjoyment, but walk wickedly, or carelessly, and live without 
God in the world.” 
THE MALAY FOWL, AS RECENTLY 
EXHIBITED. 
If oiu* pen was somewhat discursive when the Shaughaos 
and the so-called Brahma l’ootras were its subjects, tlie 
same license will not be required in the case of Malays. 
Size, the point for which these birds were formerly esteemed, 
is now more readily attained in the Shangliae fowl, where 
we. have also earlier maturity and greater productiveness. 
It followed, therefore, that the former should gradually 
recede in popular esteem, and this has gone on so con¬ 
tinuously, that year after year are the Malay pens more 
sparingly filled, till, so far as exhibitions are concerned, we 
should almost fear that the day will come when they must 
