JAN 23 1895 
48476 
TO OUR READERS. 
- ❖- 
Two of tlie earliest acts of Miss Penelope Pomeroy, upon arriving in London for the season 
from Cackleton House, in Cornwall, are to pay her Seedsman’s bill, and to do the same virtuous 
deed for the advertising in our columns her “Dorking Eggs from Prize Birds.” 
Miss Penelope very recently visited our old Office—regular as the sun, and, like him, gold- 
tinting; and whilst there, her ears caught the inquiry made by one of “the Row Boys 
“ When’s your housewarming ? ” 
It may be necessary to explain to some of our readers, who cultivate Geraniums beyond the 
Grampian Hills, that “the Row Boys” are a small genus, forward in habit, and who, in addition 
to much chaff, bear books and periodicals. We do not mean that they produce the books and 
I periodicals, but that they collect them from the producers, and carry them to their employers— 
| the Booksellers. 
Now, when the said “Row Boy” inquired about our “housewarming,” it became needful 
| to interpret to Miss Penelope that he alluded to our purposed removal to a new Office. 
“ Well, I would never do that. I would make a shift, and remain doing as you are.” 
“That is precisely what we intend, dear madam. We intend doing as we are—bearing 
good fruit—fruit for the reader, fruit for the workmen, and fruit for the proprietors. But the 
box in which we now are we have outgrown—our roots have filled it; and therefore, as you justly 
observe, we must ‘ make a shift,’— and we are not quite sure that we shall obstinately adhere 
| to ‘ the orae-shift system.’ When our roots fill a No. 162, into which we are being shifted from a 
| No. 20, we do not think it would be evidence of bad cultivation if we shifted into a size larger. 
Yes, our Readers, yoiu approval—the most fostering of all sunshine to a literary plant 
| has made us outgrow our old Office, and we have shifted into one better suited to our development, 
j In nothing else will there be any change. The same officials, with the usual new aids the same 
j efforts to be useful will be apparent; and may these obtain for us such a continuance of sunshine, j 
j and such additions to our soil, that we may grow still more vigorously, and have to be shifted into 
a size larger before twenty more of our volumes have appeared. 
Let us, in conclusion, again record our thanks to all who aid and encourage us; and not 
leas 
the 
the 
account of the advantages which, under God’s blessing, Tiie Cottage Gardener has bestoued 
upon me. I have always full and pleasurable employment for every spare five minutes. At all 
times—in all weathers—in all seasons of the year—in health or sickness amidst cares and 
vexations—in walks by the roadside or meadow—by the seaside, or hill or dale what intense 
happiness have I enjoyed since I have had possession of your work; inasmuch as, next to the 
Bible, it manifested to me, in every case, the wisdom, and power, and mercy of God, in and ovei 
all His most minute works of creation.” 
; warmly to that reverend gentleman who informs us—in words almost too strong diat, like 
flower in “ Piccioli,” we have poured out a measure of comfort and usefulness ev en within 
walls of a prison. “ I could surprise you,” says the Chaplain of that prison, “ with the 
