Woodbine-Arbor; or The Little Gardeners: A Story of a Happy Childhood

  WOODBINE-ARBOR;Or theLittle Gardeners.

  A Story of aHappy Childhood.

  New Haven.Published by S. Babcock.1849.

  BUILDING THE ARBOR.]

  WOODBINE ARBOR; OR THE LITTLE GARDENERS.

  Let me tell you, my dear young reader, about a happy little family ofthree brothers and three sisters, who lived in a pleasant home, notfar from the great city of New-York. Their father, Mr. Howard, was awealthy merchant, and had his store in the city, to which he usuallyrode early in the morning, directly after breakfast, and returned homein season to take tea with his family. He had six children, the littlefolks whom I am now going to tell you about.

  The girls were named Maria, Elizabeth, and Harriet. The boys wereHenry, Charles, and John.--Henry was the oldest, then Charles, Maria,John, Elizabeth, and Harriet.

  Their home was a beautiful country-seat, situated not far from theEast river, with fine old shade trees in front of it. In the rear wasa very large garden, laid out with great neatness and taste, and wellstocked with fruits and flowers. Then there were walks and borders,and summer-houses, and arbors, and almost every thing which couldrender it a delightful place.

  One portion of his grounds Mr. Howard had laid out for a garden for hischildren. This was to be their own, and in it they were to dig, and hoe,and rake, and plant, and transplant, and water, just as they pleased, solong as they were attentive to their lessons, obedient to their parents,and kind to each other. When any of them misbehaved,--which was veryseldom,--that child was forbidden to visit the garden for one or twodays, or a week, according to the nature of its offence.

  TRANSPLANTING.]

  Mr. and Mrs. Howard were both anxious that their children should growup, not only good and intelligent, but that they should acquireactive and industrious habits; they therefore encouraged them all,girls as well as boys, to pass their play-hours in the healthy anddelightful employment of gardening.

  Well, our young friends heartily seconded the wishes of their parents,and except in cold or stormy weather, their little garden was thescene of great industry, as soon as their several lessons for the daywere recited. They had a complete set of garden tools, just the rightsize for such little folks: spades, hoes, rakes, watering-pots, and awheelbarrow. I assure you they did not let these tools lie idle. Theirgarden, which produced flowers of all kinds, and many varieties offruit, always presented a neat and workman-like appearance. The boysusually took upon themselves the most laborious part of the work, suchas digging, and hoeing, and raking, while their sisters planted andtransplanted, and watered, and pruned and trimmed, as occasion required.

  THE LITTLE GARDENERS.]

  One day, early in the Spring, the little folks took it into their headsto build an arbor in their garden. So, getting their mother's consent,they applied to the gardener, who furnished them with some stout polesand strips of boards necessary for their purpose. Accordingly, they weresoon industriously engaged in their first essay at building.

  Henry planned the shape and the frame, and then he and Charles, withmallet and hammer in hand, drove the poles into the ground, and nailedon the strips of board; while Maria and Elizabeth held the materialsfor them, and Harriet and John handed up such things as were needed.

  In four or five days, "WOODBINE ARBOR," as the little folks named it,was quite finished. In the center of it they had placed a table, andbuilt seats around the sides of the arbor. These the girls coveredvery neatly with cloth, which their mamma gave them for the purpose.

  At each corner of the arbor, our young gardeners set out a fine largewoodbine, which the gardener gave them, and at the sides severalbeautiful climbing roses. These vines they trained up to, and over thetop of the arbor, in such a way as to shade the inside from the raysof the sun.

  When these plants were in full bloom, the arbor presented a lovelyappearance, and was filled with the most delightful fragrance. Here ourlittle gardeners retired when they were fatigued with their labors, orwhen the heat of the sun prevented their working in the garden.

  ARRANGING THE BOUQUETS.]

  On the anniversary of the wedding day of Mr. and Mrs. Howard, thechildren always selected from their garden the choicest flowers, as anoffering to their beloved parents; indeed, each of them cultivatedseveral rare and beautiful kinds for this particular occasion.Gathering the flowers together, they exerted their utmost skill informing two fine large bouquets for their father and mother, whichwere presented as an offering from all the children, and which weredesigned to grace the vases on the parlor mantle-piece.

  When these two bouquets were arranged to the satisfaction of all thelittle folks, each one made two of a smaller size, just alike, whichthey presented in their own name.

  You may be sure these little gifts of affection were duly prized by thefond parents, and were kept from fading as long as possible. They wererewarded, too, by some suitable present to each child, accompanied bykind wishes, and such words of advice and instruction as the occasioncalled for. These words of advice, given at such times, made a lastingimpression; they were remembered by the little ones as long as theyremembered the happy events which called them forth.

  But you must not suppose these little masters and misses were so fondof gardening as to spend all their play-hours there. Oh, no; like mostother children, they liked play and play-things. The girls all haddolls, and a pet rabbit and two little white poodles to amusethemselves with. Henry made kites, bows, arrows, and other toys, andCharles was quite fond of making and sailing little toy ships, whileJohn, the youngest, liked nothing much better than playing with a ballor trundling his hoop. Still, the garden, after all, afforded themmore real and lasting pleasure than any thing else.

  THE TOY SHIP.]

  But the year I am telling you about,--the year in which our littlefriends built their arbor,--instead of presenting the bouquets asusual, they begged their parents to visit them at the arbor. Theinvitation was readily accepted, and the children accordingly made thenecessary preparations. Having selected the very choicest fruitsfrom their garden, they arranged it to the best advantage on thetable, placing the two large bouquets in the center; they then eachheld the two smaller ones in their hands, and presented them, withtheir best wishes, as their parents entered the arbor.

  I shall not attempt to tell you how delighted the young people all wereon this occasion, when their neat little arbor, the work of their ownhands, was thus honored with a visit from their parents. With somecrowding, there was room for the eight persons, but mamma made a littlemore by taking the youngest up in her lap. Then the different fruitswere handed round, and all partook of such as suited them best. Neverwere happier children assembled, or happier parents. Not even the finestfruit raised by their experienced gardener, ever tasted half as sweet asthat which was eaten at the little feast in "WOODBINE ARBOR."

  When it was over, mamma, at the urgent request of the children, sangone of her sweetest songs, and then they all took a walk through thegarden. Many, very many, were the words of praise and encouragementspoken by the parents, as they beheld the neatness and good order inwhich every thing was kept. The handsomely laid out beds and borders,the straight rows of plants, the well-trained vines, the beautifulflowers, and the luxuriant growth of the little trees and shrubbery,without a single weed to mar the beauty of the garden, excited theirhighest admiration.

  "My dear little ones," said Mr. Howard, "let the care which you havebestowed upon this sweet little spot, and the success which hasattended your efforts, incite you to higher and nobler aims, whichwill most certainly be rewarded with higher and nobler resul
ts. Withthe same care and industry which you have bestowed upon your garden,cultivate your _minds_, and raise in them the lovely and unfadingflowers of piety and virtue. Root out from them the noxious weeds ofvice and evil habits, and train all your thoughts upward to yourheavenly Father and Benefactor. Assist each other in this mentalcultivation, with the same kindness which you have all shown incultivating your garden; be ready at all rimes to share with the poorand needy the blessings which you enjoy, as freely as you have thisday shared the productions of your garden with your parents. Then,like the plants which you have here cultivated, you will bear fruitand flowers to bless and cheer your fellow-men; and when you areremoved from earth you will be transplanted in heaven, and blossomforever in the _Garden of the Lord_."

  END.

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  Transcriber's note:

  Obvious punctuation and spelling errors were corrected.