t isn't pretty, but
everybody loves it and plants it, and don't think a garden's a garden
without it. Oh, I tell ye, Martha, beauty ain't everything, unless,
ye can back it up with something better. Lots of the finest people on
earth ain't much to look at, but nobody thinks of that."

Pearl was pinning a spray of lilac on her print dress as she talked.
Then she made known her errand.

"Yes, I'll go," Martha said, readily. "And so will Bud. He likes Mr.
Burrell. Pa and Ma will go, too, I guess. I'll be glad to have
somewhere to go on Sunday afternoons--it's lonesome since Edith went
to Winnipeg. Come in, Pearl. You've never been in our house yet, have
you?"

Pearl followed her into the big kitchen, spotlessly clean and
comfortable. Three windows let in the afternoon sunlight, windows
that sparkled from a recent washing; a trailing fuchsia in full
bloom, in an old wash-basin painted green, was suspended from the
ceiling in front of the east window. There were flowers in every
window, abundant in bloom, showing that a loving hand was caring for
them. On the wall was a paper-holder made of cretonne with beads
outlining the flowers.

"Did Mrs. Cavers make that?" Pearl asked quickly. "Yes," Martha said.
"Mrs. Cavers gave it to mother years ago."

There was a bookshelf made by stringing together empty spools, with
two boards covered with flowered cretonne for the shelves, but the
only books on it were a cook-book, covered with oil-cloth, and
Kendall's Horse Book. A framed picture of "Dan Patch" was on the
wall.

"That belongs to Bud," she said smiling. "He's the greatest boy for
horses--he's always training the colts, down in the pasture. He has
one now that is a pacer. He's always wanting to run his colts in the
races, but father won't let him. I've never been a race in my life,
have you?"

"Oh, yes," Pearl said. "I've been at every race that I ever was near
enough to go to, or lacrosse match or baseball match, or anything.
You sure must come to the Pioneers' Picnic this year, Martha; we will
have a splendid time."

"I've never had time to go," Martha said slowly. "I've always had to
stay home and look after things, and besides, I don't know many
people and I don't like going among strangers. I often get lonesome
now since Mrs. Cavers has gone to live on the other farm, and I am
real glad you came over, Pearl. I hope you and I will be good
friends."

Pearl looked at her with quick sympathy.

"You bet we will,