House and Garden 
“As soon as 1 discovered that some one was 
thus using the place, a watch was set, and the 
next day the man was found, evidently re¬ 
turning from a begging trip on the streets. 
Being asked why he slept in such a cold, 
cheerless place, he said he had no other. He 
had been working at the Torresdale filtration 
plant but had been discharged. When asked 
if he would work in order to provide himself 
with a better place, he readily answered that 
he would. ‘Although,’ he added, ‘I am now 
past seventy years of age, and it is hard to 
find a place; I can do as good work as many 
others who are much younger, hut I am not 
wanted.’ A comfortable place at which to 
board was quickly found and he was set to 
work helping the man who was hauling 
manure to the gardens. Soon I discovered 
that he spent his money for drink, so I asked 
him if he would not save his money for cloth¬ 
ing. He finally consented and soon good 
shoes replaced a pair several sizes too large, 
which some one had given him. 
“This old man has now been with us for 
some time, and is always ready to do whatever 
is pointed out. He has earned through his 
own labor plenty of good, wholesome food; 
warm, comfortable clothing and a warm 
place to sleep. He is now a self-supporting 
and sober man.’’ 
“A boy twelve years of age came to ask 
for a garden. When questioned as to why 
he wished a lot and why he was not at school, 
he replied that he had to help make a living; 
that there were eleven in the family — father, 
mother, grandfather, and eight children. 
The father had been out of work all winter 
and had gone 
West in search 
of e m p 1 o y- 
ment. He 
had secured 
a place but 
r e c ei v e.d so 
little pay that 
he could send 
his f a m i 1 y 
hut $ 2.00 per 
week. I he 
oldest broth¬ 
er, a hoy of 
eighteen, was 
learning h i s 
trade and was receiving $3.00 a week; the 
second brother, sixteen, was in a mill, which 
only made half time, and received $3.50. 
This was all that was coming in. ‘So you see, 
sir,’ he said, ‘we are very poor, and we have 
to pay $3.00 per week for rent; please sir, let 
me have a garden. Grandpa says he will 
teach me how to work it. You see Grandpa 
has been sick for a long time with cancers, 
one in his eye and one in his ear; but he can 
show me how to work and I will do my best; 
if I don't, you may take the lot back.’ The 
boy was given the garden and well did he 
keep his promise. He worked faithfully, 
and with evident pleasure in his work. His 
garden was as well cultivated as any in the 
field; and besides furnishing the family with 
food all summer he had a good store for the 
winter while he attended school.’’ One more 
example: “A poor colored woman, with an 
invalid husband and eleven children, deter¬ 
mined to try two days a week at gardening. 
I he effort turned out well. The next year she 
had the neglected half of an adjoining garden 
in addition to her own, and the product was 
$150.00. She also had two beautiful flower 
beds. She usually had from four to six chil¬ 
dren with her on gardening days” 
In a sermon recently delivered at Cor¬ 
nell University, Dr. Francis E. Clark said: 
“ No nation was ever overthrown by its farm¬ 
ers. Chaldea and Egypt, Greece and Rome, 
grew rotten and ripe for destruction not in 
the fields hut in the narrow lanes and crowded 
city streets, and in the palaces of their nobil¬ 
ity. So let us thank God and take courage 
as we see in our day the movement coun- 
ttyward, and 
the ‘abandon¬ 
ed farm ’ and 
lot no 1 o n g- 
er abandon¬ 
ed. . . Surely 
the history of 
creation is re¬ 
peating itself, 
and again is 
the Lord God 
taking man 
and putting 
him in a gar¬ 
den to dress it 
and keep it.” 
A BIT OF ONE OF THE GARDENS 
Where an entire family is at work, living in the shanty under the tree 
186 
