8 OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.

 a sickly place, and one after another died, and last of all
 her husband. None of her family were left but the
 youngest, Willie. Her own health was wretched; and
 believing nothing could cure her but coming back to the
 old place, she sold her little property, paid her debts,
 doctor and all, came back to our village, and had just
 enough to buy that little old brown house on the slope,
 at the turn above the river, where those noble elm-trees
 hang their sweeping branches over the road, so embower-
 ing it that our village girls-who always choose that way
 for their twilight walks-call it the arbour. There is a
"& small patch of land on the east side of the widow's house
 -it may be the tenth of an acre-which she made into a
 garden. She often says, it is well for her it is no larger,
 for it is just big enough for her and William to plant, and
 sow, and keep in order. It is wonderful how much she
 gets out of it. Plenty of potatoes for breakfast and din-
 ner all the year round, and often a good mess for the cow.
 The widow's money held out to buy a cow; and well for
 her that it did, for this cow, till she lost it, half supported
 her.
 But I was telling you how full her garden was. Be-
 sides potatoes, which occupied the most of the ground,
 she had parsnips, carrots, onions, turnips, cabbages, and
 various other vegetables. How could I forget the aspa-
 ragus, which Mrs. Ellis said was "something to give
 away; for everybody did not raise asparagus, and folks-
 especially old folks-were very fond of it." There was a
 row of currant-bushes, and, latterly, a bed of strawberries.
 In one corner there were medicinal herbs. Country
 people make great use of these ; and when sage and balm
 could be found nowhere else, Widow Ellis had always
 "some to spare." There was a row of never-to-be-for-
 gotten, caraway, dill, and fennel. The old women and
 children who passed that way were in the habit occasion-
 ally of asking a few heads of these aromatic seeds, and
 Widow Ellis always gave them with a smile. Round the
 widow's door-the side-door opens into the garden-there
 were rose-bushes, pinks, and heart's-ease; and throughout