swarm of birds the manor could not spare them, as they were relics of the
good old times, that ought always to be kept in remembrance.
“The trees are the birds’ heritage by this time!” said the master. “So let
them keep them, my good Larsen.” Larsen was the gardener’s name, but
that is of very little consequence in this story. “Haven’t you room enough to
work in, little Larsen? Have you not the flower-garden, the green-houses,
the orchard and the kitchen-garden!” He cared for them, he kept them in
order and cultivated them with zeal and ability, and the family knew it; but
they did not conceal from him that they often tasted fruits and saw flowers
in other houses that surpassed what he had in his garden, and that was a sore
trial to the gardener, who always wished to do the best, and really did the
best he could. He was good-hearted, and a faithful servant.
The owner sent one day for him, and told him kindly that the day before,
at a party given by some friends of rank, they had eaten apples and pears
which were so juicy and well-flavored that all the guests had loudly
expressed their admiration. To be sure, they were not native fruits, but they
ought by all means to be introduced here, and to be acclimatized if possible.
They learned that the frtiit was bought of one of the first fruit-dealers in the
city, and the gardener was to ride to town and find out about where they
came from, and then order some slips for grafting. The gardener was very
well acquainted with the dealer, because he was the very person to whom he
sold the fruit that grew in the manor-garden, beyond what was needed by
the family. So the gardener went to town and asked the fruit-dealer where
he had found those apples and pears that were praised so highly.
“They are from your own garden,” said the fruit-dealer, and he showed
him, both the apples and pears, which he recognized. Now, how happy the
gardener felt! He hastened back to his master, and told him that the apples
and pears were all from his own garden. But he would not believe it.
“It cannot be possible, Larsen. Can you get a written certificate of that
from the fruit-dealer?” And that he could; and brought him a written
certificate.
