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and strong that he dressed himself in his royal robes and took his gold
sceptre in his hand。 And when the courtiers came in to see if he were dead；
there stood the Emperor with his sword in one hand and his sceptre in the
other； and said； 〃Good…morning！〃
MARGERY'S GARDEN＇1＇
＇1＇ I have always been inclined to avoid； in my work among children；
the 〃how to make〃 and 〃how to do〃 kind of story； it is too likely to
trespass on the ground belonging by right to its more artistic and less
intentional kinsfolk。 Nevertheless； there is a legitimate place for the
instruction…story。 Within its own limits； and especially in a school use； it
has a real purpose to serve； and a real desire to meet。 Children have a
genuine taste for such morsels of practical information； if the bites aren't
made too big and too solid。 And to the teacher of the first grades； from
whom so much is demanded in the way of practical instruction； I know
that these stories are a boon。 They must be chosen with care； and used
with discretion； but they need never be ignored。
I venture to give some little stories of this type； which I hope may be
of use in the schools where country life and country work is an unknown
experience to the children。
There was once a little girl named Margery； who had always lived in
the city。 The flat where her mother and father lived was at the top of a big
apartment…house； and you couldn't see a great deal from the windows；
except clothes…lines on other people's roofs。 Margery did not know much
about trees and flowers； but she loved them dearly； whenever it was a
pleasant Sunday she used to go with her mother and father to the park and
look at the lovely flower…beds。 They seemed always to be finished； though；
and Margery was always wishing she could see them grow。
One spring； when Margery was nine； her father's work changed so that
he could move into the country； and he took a little house a short distance
outside the town where his new position was。 Margery was delighted。 And
the very first thing she said； when her father told her about it； was； 〃Oh；
may I have a garden？ MAY I have a garden？〃
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Margery's mother was almost as eager for a garden as she was； and
Margery's father said he expected to live on their vegetables all the rest of
his life！ So it was soon agreed that the garden should be the first thing
attended to。
Behind the little house were apple trees； a plum tree； and two or three
pear trees； then came a stretch of rough grass； and then a stone wall； with a
gate leading into the pasture。 It was in the grassy land that the garden was
to be。 A big piece was to be used for corn and peas and beans； and a little
piece at the end was to be saved for Margery。
〃What shall we have in it？〃 asked her mother。
〃Flowers；〃 said Margery； with shining eyes；〃blue； and white； and
yellow； and pink；every kind of flower！〃
〃Surely； flowers；〃 said her mother； 〃and shall we not have a little salad
garden in the midst； as they do in England？〃
〃What is a salad garden？〃 Margery asked。
〃It is a garden where you have all the things that make nice salad；〃
said her mother； laughing； for Margery was fond of salads； 〃you have
lettuce； and endive； and romaine； and parsley； and radishes； and
cucumbers； and perhaps little beets and young onions。〃
〃Oh！ how good it sounds！〃 said Margery。 〃I vote for the salad garden。〃
That very evening； Margery's father took pencil and paper； and drew
out a plan for her garden； first； they talked it all over； then he drew what
they decided on； it looked like the diagram on the next page。
〃The outside strip is for flowers；〃 said Margery's father； 〃and the next
marks mean a footpath； all the way round the beds； that is so you can get
at the flowers to weed and to pick； there is a wider path through the
middle； and the rest is all for rows of salad vegetables。〃
〃Papa； it is glorious！〃 said Margery。
Papa laughed。 〃I hope you will still think it glorious when the weeding
time comes；〃 he said； 〃for you know； you and mother have promised to
take care of this garden； while I take care of the big one。〃
〃I wouldn't NOT take care of it for anything！〃 said Margery。 〃I want to
feel that it is my very own。〃
Her father kissed her； and said it was certainly her 〃very own。〃
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Two evenings after that； when Margery was called in from her first
ramble in a 〃really； truly pasture；〃 she found the expressman at the door of
the little house。
〃Something for you； Margery；〃 said her mother； with the look she had
when something nice was happening。
It was a box； quite a big box； with a label on it that said：
MISS MARGERY BROWN； WOODVILLE； MASS。
From Seeds and Plants Company； Boston。
Margery could hardly wait to open it。 It was filled with little
packages； all with printed labels； and in the packages； of course； were
seeds。 It made Margery dance； just to read the names；nasturtium； giant
helianthus； coreopsis； calendula； Canterbury bells： more names than I can
tell you； and other packages； bigger； that said； 〃Peas： Dwarf Telephone；〃
and 〃Sweet Corn；〃 and such things！ Margery could almost smell the posies；
she was so excited。 Only； she had seen so little of flowers that she did not
always know what the names meant。 She did not know that a helianthus
was a sunflower till her mother told her； and she had never seen the dear；
blue； bell…shaped flowers that always grow in old…fashioned gardens； and
are called Canterbury bells。 She thought the calendula must be a strange；
grand flower； by its name； but her mother told her it was the gay； sturdy；
every…dayish little posy called a marigold。 There was a great deal for a
little city girl to be surprised about； and it did seem as if morning was a
long way off！
〃Did you think you could plant them in the morning？〃 asked her
mother。 〃You know； dear； the ground has to be made ready first； it takes a
little time；it may be several days before you can plant。〃
That was another surprise。 Margery had thought she could begin to
sow the seed right off。
But this was what was done。 Early the next morning； a man came
driving into the yard； with two strong white horses； in his wagon was a
plough。 I suppose you have seen ploughs； but Margery never had； and she
watched with great interest； while the man and her father took the plough
from the cart and harnessed the horses to it。 It was a great； three…cornered
piece of sharp steel； with long handles coming up from it； so that a man
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could hold it in place。 It looked like this：
〃I brought a two…horse plough because it's green land；〃 the man said。
Margery wondered what in the world he meant； it was green grass； of
course； but what had that to do with the kind of plough？ 〃What does he
mean； father？〃 she whispered； when she got a chance。 〃He means that this
land has not been ploughed before； or not for many years； it will be hard to
turn the soil； and one horse could not pull the plough；〃 said her father。 So
Margery had learned what 〃green land〃 was。
The man was for two hours ploughing the little strip of land。 He drove
the sharp end of the plough into the soil； and held it firmly so； while the
horses dragged it along in a straight line。 Margery found it fascinating to
see the long line of dark earth and green grass come rolling up and turn
over； as the knife passed it。 She could see that it took real skill and
strength to keep the line even； and to avoid the stones。 Sometimes the
plough struck a hidden stone； and then the man was jerked almost off his
feet。 But he only laughed； and said； 〃Tough piece of land； be a lot better
the second year。〃
When he had ploughed； the man went