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"People sneer at gardening and gardeners, Grant," said the old gentleman

to me one day "Perhaps you row older; but don't you never be ashaardener"

"I'm sure I never shall," I said

"I hope you will not,the growth of trees and plants that's good for a lad's nature;

and if I was a schoolarden, and ood a lesson as any he could teach"

"I like gardening ht, my boy I hope you do, but you've a deal to learn yet

Gardening's like learning to play the fiddle; there's always soet hold of than you knoish I had solass"

"I wish you had, sir," I said

"Why, boy?--why?" he cried sharply

"Because you see rather

abashed by his sharp manner

"Yes, but it was so that I should be able to teach you, sir But wait a

bit, I'll talk to rew bigger and stronger I used now and then to

go up with Ike to the o every time,

but Mr Brownsmith shook his head, and would only hear of it in tiood task for you, Grant," he used to say "I want you at ho after a very storreat many of the fruit-trees had had their