Lom learns a new Lesson. 139

They left the seeds lying in the ground.
Tom’s papa told him positively they would
sprout up very soon; but Tom could scarcely
believe it.

“Every morning,” said his papa, “run out
and see for yourself.”

Tom did so. Morning after morning he
ran out and saw nothing but the brown earth.
One day it rained heavily, but he felt more
content to wait in-doors now that he knew the
seeds out-of-doors were getting the thing they
wanted. After a long time, when he was be-
ginning to be certain his papa had made a mis-
take, he suddenly caught sight of something
new in the border. It was a bright green
fringe of new shoots peeping out of the earth.

“Papa, papa!” he called, delighted.

His papa came out.

“Well,” said he, “can you read the letters ?”

Tom looked again. He saw the seeds were
sown in the shape of the letters—

T O M

Then he bent down and touched the dear

living leaves.