dulge in reproachful
reminiscences of this kind. Still, it is difficult for one who never
feels a selfish wish to understand how others can be so differently
constituted. If such people would only for once indulge in the luxury of
doing a really kind action, I am inclined to think they would be tempted
into many repetitions of it. But it will be seen that I succeeded in
getting my pets into the ground by depending on myself, letting others
pursue their own way.

The rows were struck out only three feet apart, and the plants were set
a foot asunder in the rows. This was not too close for our little garden
culture, though it may be much too crowded for large fields. I was
anxious to have as much fruit as possible on a small surface, intending
to keep the runners from overspreading the ground. This desire for a
great crop is the common anxiety of most fruit-growers, especially of
beginners, and I think is frequently the cause of those failures that so
often happen to them. My sister and I took a holiday from the factory
and went to planting. My mother also did her full share of the labor.
With such novices, it was of course very slow work, and employed us two
or three days.

Very soon the neighbors stopped, as they were passing the half-latticed
garden-gate, and looked in to see what we were about. This neighborly
curiosity is the most natural thing in the world. One always likes to
know what is going on either next door or in the opposite house. I
confess to a weakness of that sort myself. Hence we took no offence,
even when there was quite a crowd looking in.

When it was ascertained that we were planting strawberries, great
surprise was manifested, and all kinds of remarks were made. Had we been
planting potatoes, it would have been all right, as every family that
had a little patch of ground in that neighborhood raised potatoes,
though they paid no profit, while only one--the Tetchys--cultivated
strawberries, which afforded a very handsome profit. I think it must
have been the novelty of seeing women thus occupied that occasioned much
of the surprise.

Before noon of the first day the whole Tetchy family crowded up to the
gate and stood there a long time observing our movements. Their quick
ears had been among the first to catch the news. They tried the latch,
but Jane had locked the gate, determined that not one of them should
come in. Thus excluded, all they could do was to indulge in a variety of
ill-natured re