A VEGETABLE MISSION by Nellie C. Andrews

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 3, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 35.

A VEGETABLE MISSION.

By Nellie C. Andrews

BY NELLIE C. ANDREWS.

“I wonder what plan you girls will get hold of next?” exclaimed Will Marvin, as his sister finished telling their mother of a proposed flower mission. “That society makes me tired; you do nothing but talk just like a full-grown sewing circle.”

Before Ethel could make the angry reply trembling on her lips, their mother had restored peace by a few wise words.

“Well, maybe they do a little good,” admitted Will, who was in a teasing mood. “At any rate, it keeps the girls out of mischief.”

“If anybody needs to be kept out of mischief, I think it is you, Will Marvin,” began Ethel hotly.

At this point Mrs. Marvin hastened to turn the conversation into a somewhat different channel, by remarking, “If you would like them, Ethel, you may have some slips from my geraniums, so you may have some rooted plants as well as flowers to give away.”

“O, thank you, mother! I had not thought of that. I intend to raise pansies, verbenas, sweet peas, and ever so many flowers. Every one of the girls is going to have a flower garden.”

“And then my Lady Bountiful will go sailing down into Slumdom, and present the fragrant blossoms to the poor dear little Slumdomites, and say: ‘See here, my dear, what I’ve brought you. Go put them in a vase,’” mimicked Will.

From the expression on his mother’s face he concluded he had gone far enough with his teasing, for, altho nearly sixteen years old, he delighted to hector his sister. So he hastily asked, “Who is going to do all the work in your garden, Ethel?”

“I am,” replied Ethel stoutly.

“Now if it was something practical, I’d donate my services. Say,” a sudden thought striking him, “if you’ll raise vegetables, I will help you.”

“And I,” said their father, who had entered the room unnoticed, “will give you that part of the garden between the strawberry bed and the fence.”

“Thank you, father, I never dreamed of asking for so much land.”

“As Will is going to help you,” continued Mr. Marvin dryly, “I think you can manage to keep it in order.”

“We can raise ever so many flowers. Mother, will you help me make out a list?”

“See here,” interrupted Will eagerly, glad of a pretext to escape from the distasteful garden work it seemed that his teasing propensities had brought upon him, “no flowers, mind. You must raise vegetables, or I won’t help you.”

“O, let me have just a few flowers, Will!” pleaded Ethel.

“No, not one,” continued Will firmly—for, counting on his sister’s great love for flowers, he thought he saw a way of escape for himself from garden work.

Ethel hesitated. Ought she to give up her cherished plan? How could she? It was such an unheard-of thing to raise vegetables, when all the other girls were going to have such beautiful flower gardens. But then it would keep Will more at home. And this she knew was something that troubled both her father and mother of late.

This consideration had also presented itself to her mother, who now remarked: “Ethel, I think the plan a good one. I have no doubt your fresh vegetables will prove as acceptable gifts as a basket of roses.”

Impetuous Will, who prided himself on never going back on his word, was anxiously awaiting her decision.

At last it came: “We will raise vegetables.”

“And start a fresh-vegetable mission,” suggested Mrs. Marvin.

Heretofore Will’s gardening had been limited to walking about the grounds when the fruit began to ripen, the garden being looked after by Thomas, the man of all work, and Will groaned as he thought of all the work he had brought upon himself.

Mr. Marvin gave them the money for the seed, and suggested that they send for some catalogs. These proved very attractive, and many pleasant hours were spent in looking them over and in discussing the merits of the various vegetables. Their mother aided them in making their selection. The seeds were ordered, and came before the frost was out of the ground.

At last came the time for garden making. Will repented of his hasty offer more than once during the seed sowing, but, as Ethel said nothing about raising flowers, he kept his promise to help her. The weeds soon put in an appearance, and it took much of their spare time to keep their plot clean.

As the vegetables began to grow, both began to be enthusiastic, and Will looked as eagerly as Ethel for the day when the radishes and lettuce should be fit for use. Besides these two vegetables, their garden contained string beans, tomatoes, and early beets.

They had no trouble in finding to whom their offerings would be acceptable. They bought several small baskets in which to put their vegetables. These baskets, with their crisp radishes, fresh lettuce, golden beans, and, later, firm, smooth tomatoes, were highly appreciated by the poor who received them.

Poor little Jimmy Waite, a cripple, whose widowed mother was always given a basket, was overjoyed to find, one day, a dish of strawberries among the other good things. This was the gift of Mrs. Marvin. That lady, on learning of his pleasure, resolved that, as long as the berries lasted, Jimmy should have a dish. This, she said, was her contribution to the vegetable mission.

The summer passed quickly, and Ethel felt repaid for her sacrifice. The work had been of great benefit to Will in more than one way, and both he and Ethel began to make plans for the coming year; for the vegetable mission, or, rather, the “V. M. Garden,” as Will called it, had come to stay.

An unexpected closing of the school Will attended gave him an opportunity to pass a short time at an uncle’s in the country. Just before his return, Ethel received a letter from him, in which he said:—

“I have told the folks here about your V. M. Garden. They thought it a pretty good joke on me. Harry said he wished he and Fred could do something of the kind. He thought we had more poor people in the city than they had in the country. Uncle John suggested that they gather some nuts, and he said he would pay the freight. So we got up a nutting party, and I guess your eyes will shine when you see all the hickory nuts and butternuts. They are for you to distribute this winter. Uncle John is going to send a barrel of apples also. I was real mean about those flowers last spring, Ethel. Next summer you can have all you want. I told Aunt Mary about it. She said we might buy a few hyacinth bulbs, and, after starting them, give them away. I mean to buy them for you when I get home, to make up for my meanness last spring.”—S. S. Times.