from one of the bushes and cut out the old dead

cane.

"I raise these berries myself for home use," he said; "and I tell you they 're first-class with milk for a July supper. You see, after taking off so much from these long branches, the canes stand straight up, and they will be self-supporting, no matter how many berries they bear; but here and there you'll find a bush that's grown slantwise, or broken off. Now, if I were you, I'd take a crow-bar 'n' make a hole 'longside these weakly and slantin' stalks and tie 'em up strong. Then, soon as the fruit yields, if you 'll root out the grass and weeds that's started in among 'em, you'll have a dozen bushel or more of marketable berries from this 'ere wilderness, as you call it. Give Merton a pair of old gloves, and he can do most of the job. Every tip that's fast in the ground is a new plant. If you want to set out a new patch. I'll show you how, later on."

"I think I know how to do that." “Yes, yes, I know.

66

Books are a help, I s'pose; but after you've seen one plant set out rightly, you'll know more than if you 'd read a month." “Well, now that you 're here, Mr. Jones, I'm going to make the most of you. How about those other raspberries off to the south-east of the house?"

"Those are red ones. We'll go look at 'em." Having reached the patch, we found almost as bad a tangle as in the black-cap patch, except that the canes were more upright in their growth and less full of spines or briers.

"It's plain to see," remarked Mr. Jones, "that old Mr. Jamison was feelin' too poorly to take care of things last year. You see, these red raspberries grow altogether diff'rently from those black-caps yonder. Those increase by the tips of the branches takin' root; these, by suckers. All these young shoots comin' up between the rows are suckers, and they ought to be dug out. As I said before, you can set them out somewhere else, if you like. Dig 'em up, you know; make a trench in some out-of-the-way place, and bury the roots till you want 'em. Like enough the neighbors will buy some if they know you have 'em to spare. Only be sure to cut these long canes back to within six inches of the ground."

66

'Well, p'r'aps it'll turn out so. Now Merton 's just the right age to help you in all this work. Jamison, you see, grew these raspberries in a continuous bushy row; that is, say, three good strong canes every eighteen inches apart and the rows five feet apart, so he could run a horse-cultivator between. Understan', Merton?"

"Yes, sir," said the boy, with much interest.

"Well, all these extra suckers and plants that are swampin' the ground are just as bad as weeds. Dig 'em all out, only don't disturb the roots of the bearin' canes you leave in the rows any more 'n you can help."

"How about trimming these?" I asked.

"Well, that depends. If you want early fruit, you 'll let 'em stand as they are; if you want big berries, you 'll cut 'em back one-third. Let me see. Here are five rows of Highland Hardy,' -- miserable poor-tastin' kind; but they ripen so early they often pay the best."

66

'Now, Mr. Jones, one other good turn and we 'll not trouble you any more to-day," said I. "All the front of the house is covered by two big grapevines that have not been trimmed, and there are a great many other vines on the place. I've read and read on the subject, but I declare I 'm afraid to touch them."

"Now you 're beyond my depth. I have a lot of vines home, and I trim 'em in my rough way, but I know I'm not scientific, and we have pretty poor, scraggy bunches. They taste just as good, though, and I don't raise any to sell. There's a clever man down near the landing who has a big vineyard, and he 's trimmed it as your vines ought to have been trimmed long ago. I'd advise you to go and see him, and he can show you all the latest wrinkles in pruning. Now, I'll tell you what I came for, in the first place. You'll remember that I said there 'd be a vandoo to-morrow. over and looked at the stock offered. There's a lot of chickens, as I told you; a likely looking cow with a calf at her side; a quiet old horse that ought to go cheap, though he'd answer well the first year. Do you think you'll get more 'n one horse to start with?"

I've been

"So much the better for the books, then. I have n't lived in this fruit-growin' region all my life without gettin' some idea as to what's what. I give my mind to farmin'; but Jamison and I were great cronies, and I used to be over here every day or two, and so it's natural to keep comin'." "That's my good luck," said I.

"That's the best way, only it is n't common. I'll be around in the mornin' for you and such of the children as you 'll take."

"On one condition, Mr. Jones," I replied. "You must let me pay you for your time and trouble. Unless you'll do this in giving me my start, I'll have to paddle my own canoe, even if I sink it."

"Oh, I 've no grudge against an honest penny

turned in any way that comes handy," said my neighbor. "You and I can keep square as we go along. You can give me what you think is right, and if I'm not satisfied, I'll say so."

I soon learned that my neighbor had no foolish sensitiveness. I could pay him what I thought his services were worth, and he pocketed the money without a word. Of course, I could not pay him what his advice was really worth, for his hard, common sense stood me in good stead in

many ways.

"There's all'us changin' and breakin's-up in the spring," said Mr. Jones, as we drove along; "and this family 's goin' out West. Everything is to be sold, in doors and out."

The farm-house in question was about two miles away. By the time we arrived, all sorts of vehicles were converging to it on the muddy roads, for the weather had become mild again. Stylish-looking people drove up in top-buggies, and there were many heavy springless wagons driven by rusty-looking countrymen, with their trousers

The next morning, at about eight o'clock, he arrived in a long farm-wagon on springs, with one seat in it. But Junior had half filled its body with straw, and he said to Merton: "I thought that, p'r'aps, if you and the children could go, you'd like a straw-ride."

Winnie and Bobsey, having promised to obey orders with a solemnity which gave some hope of performance, I tossed them into the straw, and we drove away, a merry party, leaving Mousie consoled with the hope of receiving something from the vendue.

thrust into the tops of their cowhide boots. I strolled through the house before the sale began, thinking I might possibly find something there that would please Mousie and my wife. The rooms were already half filled with the housewives from the vicinity; red-faced Irish women, who stalked about and examined everything with great freedom; and placid, peach-cheeked dames in Quaker bonnets, who talked softly together, and took every chance they could to say pleasant words to the flurried, nervous family that was being thrust out into the world, as it were, while still at their own hearth.

I marked with my eye a low, easy sewing-chair for my wife and a rose geranium, full of bloom, for Mousie, purposing to bid on them. I also observed that Junior was examining several pots of flowers that stood in the large south window. Then giving Merton charge of the children, with directions not to lose sight of them a moment, I went to the barn-yard and stable, feeling that the day was a critical one in our fortunes. True enough, among the other stock there was a nicelooking cow with a calf, and Mr. Jones said she had Jersey blood in her veins. This meant rich creamy milk. I thought the animal had a rather ugly eye, but this might be caused by anxiety for her calf, with so many strangers about. We also examined the old bay horse and a market wagon and harness. Then Mr. Jones and I drew apart and agreed upon the limit of his bids, for I proposed to act solely through him. Every one knew him and was aware that he would not go a cent beyond what a thing was worth.

At ten o'clock the sale began. The auctioneer was a rustic humorist, who knew the practical value of a joke in his business. Aware of many of the foibles and characteristics of the people who flocked around and after him, he provoked many a ripple and roar of laughter by his telling hits and droll speeches. I found that my neighbor, Mr. Jones, came in for his full share, but he always sent back as good as he received. The sale, in fact, had the aspect of a country merry-making, at which all sorts and conditions of people met on a common ground and bid against one another, while boys and dogs innumerable worried and played about and sometimes verged on serious quarrels.

At noon there was an immense pot of coffee, with crackers and cheese, placed on a table near the kitchen door, and we had a free lunch.

The day came to an end at last, and the cow and calf, the old bay horse, the wagon, and the harness were mine. On the whole, Mr. Jones had bought them at reasonable rates. He also secured for me a good collection of poultry that looked fairly well in their coops.

For my part, I had secured the chair and blooming geranium. To my surprise, when the rest of the flowers were sold, Junior took part in the bidding for the first time, and, as a result, carried out to the wagon several other pots of house-plants. "Why, Junior," I said, "I did n't know you had such an eye for beauty."

He blushed, but made no reply.

The coops of chickens and also the harness were put into Mr. Jones's conveyance, the wagon I had bought was tied on behind, and we jogged homeward, the children exulting over our new possessions. When I took in the geranium bush and put

it on the table by the sunny kitchen window, Junior followed with an armful of his plants.

"They're for Mousie," he said; and before the delighted child could thank him he darted out.

Indeed, it soon became evident that Mousie was Junior's favorite. She never said much to him, but she looked a great deal. To the little invalid girl he seemed the embodiment of strength and cleverness, and, perhaps, because he was so strong, his sympathies went out toward the feeble child.

The coops of chickens were carried to the basement that we had prepared, and Winnie declared that she meant to "hear the first crow and get the first egg."

The next day the horse and the cow and calf were brought over, and we felt that we were fairly launched in our country life.

"You have a bigger family to look after outdoors than I have indoors," my wife said, laughingly.

It was evident that, from some cause, the cow was wild and vicious. One of my theories is that all animals can be subdued by kindness. Mr. Jones advised me to dispose of Brindle, but I determined to test my theory first. Several times a day I would go to the barn-yard and give her a carrot or a wisp of hay from my hand, and she gradually became accustomed to me, and would come at my call. A week later I sold her calf to a butcher, and for a few days she lowed and mourned deeply, greatly to Mousie's distress. But carrots consoled her, and within three weeks she grew gentle to all of us. I believe she had been treated harshly by her former owners.

Spring was coming on apace, and we all made the most of every pleasant hour. The second day after the auction proved a fine one; and leaving Winnie and Merton in charge of the house, I took my wife, with Bobsey and Mousie, who was well bundled up, to see the scientific grapegrower, and to do some shopping. At the same time, we assured ourselves that we were having a pleasure-drive; and it did me good to see how the mother and daughter, who had been kept indoors so long, enjoyed themselves. Mr. Jones was right. I received better and clearer ideas of vine-pruning in half an hour from studying those that had been properly trimmed, and by asking questions of a practical man, than I could ever have obtained by reading. We found that the old bay horse jogged along, at as good a gait as we could expect, over the muddy road, and I was satisfied that he was so quiet that my wife could safely drive him after she had learned how, and had gained a little confidence. She held the reins as we returned.

When we sat down to supper, I was glad to see that a little color was dawning in Mousie's face.

The bundles we brought home supplemented our stores of needful articles, and our life began to take on a regular routine. The carpenter came and put up the shelves, and made such changes as my wife desired; then he aided me in repairing the out-buildings. I finished pruning the trees, while Merton worked manfully at the raspberries, for we saw that this was a far more pressing task than gathering wood, which could be done to better advantage in the late autumn. Every morning Winnie and Bobsey were kept steadily busy in carrying

pruned and the grape-vines trimmed and tied up, and had given Merton a great deal of help among the raspberries. In shallow boxes of earth on the kitchen table, cabbage, lettuce, and tomato seeds were sprouting beside Mousie's plants, the little girl hailing with delight every yellowish-green germ that appeared above the soil.

The first day of April promised to be unusually dry and warm, and I said at the breakfast table: "This is to be a great day. We'll prove that we are not April-fools by beginning our garden.

our trimmings to the brush-heap, which now began to assume vast proportions, especially as the prunings from the grape-vines and raspberry bushes were added to it. As the ground became settled after the frost was out, I began to set the stakes by the side of such raspberry canes as needed tying up; and here was a new light task for the two younger children. Bobsey's little arms could go around the canes and hold them close to the stake, while Winnie, a sturdy child, quickly tied them with a coarse, cheap string that I had bought for the purpose. Even my wife came out occasionally and helped us at this work. By the end of the last week in March I had all the fruit trees fairly

I suppose I shall make mistakes, but I wish you all to see how I do it, and then by next spring we shall have learned from experience how to do better. Merton and I will get out the seeds. By ten o'clock, Mousie, if the sun keeps out of the clouds, you can put on your rubbers and join us."

Soon all was bustle and excitement, in anticipation of the seed-planting.

Among my seeds were two quarts of red and two of white onion sets, or tiny onions, which I had kept in a cool place, so that they should not sprout before their time. These I took out first. marked off a long strip of the sunny slope, making the strip about fifteen feet wide, and manured it

I