Do you want 'em to have to turn over to sprout?" demanded Miss
Lavinia, as she stood leaning on her crotched stick over by the south
side of the garden fence, directing the planting of her favorite vine
that was to be trained along the pickets and over the gate. Little
Miss Amanda, as usual, was doing her best to carry out exactly the
behests of her older and a little more infirm sister. Miss Amanda was
possessed of a certain amount of tottering nimbleness which she put at
the disposal of Miss Lavinia at all times with the most cheery
good-will. Miss Amanda was of the order of little sisters who serve
and Miss Lavinia belonged to the sisterhood dominant by nature and by
the consent of Miss Amanda and the rest of her family.
"It's such a long row I don't know as I'll hold out to finish it,
Sister Viney, if I have to stop to finger the beans in such a way as
that. But I'll try," answered the little worker, going on sticking the
beans in with trembling haste.
"Let me help you, please, Miss Amanda," entreated Everett, who had
come out to watch the bean planting with the intention of offering
aid, with also the certainty of having it refused.
"No, young man," answered Miss Lavinia promptly and decidedly. "These
jack beans must be set in by a hand that knows 'em. We can't run no
risks of having 'em to fail to come up. I got the seed of 'em over to
Springfield when me and Mr. Robards was stationed there just before
the war. Mr. Robards was always fond of flowers, and these jack beans
in special.
Pages:
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89