it. Finally she
rented a small shed on a prominent street and passers-by often
stopped, and regular customers came to buy the freshly gathered
produce, the supply being not only abundant, but of great variety.

One of the best gardens, from the standpoint of value of produce as
well as for the varieties of products it contained and the artistic
arrangement, was worked by a man who had but one arm. Many other
successful and profitable gardens were cultivated by men and women
of an age when we generally expect them to depend entirely upon
others for support.

Many incidents were found where such habits as drinking and loafing
around saloons and clubs and abusing the family have been checked on
account of the gardener's time and attention being occupied in the
little farm.

One of the workers came for work in a condition of mind and body
which rendered his services almost worthless. He was scarcely able
to carry on his work for a minute beyond what he was shown. Each new
move had to be explained constantly, and even then he was often
found doing the work in the wrong way only a few minutes afterwards.
Before long, however, he began to see that his place had its
responsibilities and that the work of Mother Nature depended on his
doing his part and doing it well. By the time the crops were ready
to gather and market he came to realize that the cost of production
must come under the amount received from the sale of the produce so
as to prevent loss. By the end of the season he had learned so to
utilize his time and to organize his work and execute our plans that
we were able to recommend him to a farmer who was looking for a
handy man about the place.

In twenty years our Associations have made demonstrations of the
following facts, each demonstration proving more clearly than the
former ones:

First. That many people out of employment must have help of some
kind.

Second. That a great majority of them prefer self-help, and many
will take no other. Nearly all are able and willing to improve any
opportunities open to them.

Third. That to open opportunities to them does not pauperize or
degrade, but has the opposite effect of elevating and ennobling. It
quickly establishes self-respect and self-confidence. The best and
most effective way of helping people in need is to open a way
whereby they may help themselves. The most effective charity is
opportunity accompanied with kindly advice and a personal interest
in th