Here Old Man Shaw set out his orchard and saw it flourish , watching and tending it until he came to know each tree as a child and loved it . His neighbours laughed at him , and said that the fruit of an orchard so far away from the house would all be stolen . But as yet there was no fruit , and when the time came for bearing there would be enough and to spare . `` Blossom and me 'll get all we want , and the boys can have the rest , if they want 'em worse 'n they want a good conscience , '' said that unworldly , unbusinesslike Old Man Shaw . On his way back home from his darling orchard he found a rare fern in the woods and dug it up for Sara -- she had loved ferns . He planted it at the shady , sheltered side of the house and then sat down on the old bench by the garden gate to read her last letter -- the letter that was only a note , because she was coming home soon . He knew every word of it by heart , but that did not spoil the pleasure of re-reading it every half-hour . Old Man Shaw had not married until late in life , and had , so White Sands people said , selected a wife with his usual judgment -- which , being interpreted , meant no judgment at all ; otherwise , he would never have married Sara Glover , a mere slip of a girl , with big brown eyes like a frightened wood creature 's , and the delicate , fleeting bloom of a spring Mayflower . `` The last woman in the world for a farmer 's wife -- no strength or get-up about her . '' Neither could White Sands folk understand what on earth Sara Glover had married him for . `` Well , the fool crop was the only one that never failed . '' Old Man Shaw -- he was Old Man Shaw even then , although he was only forty -- and his girl bride had troubled themselves not at all about White Sands opinions . They had one year of perfect happiness , which is always worth living for , even if the rest of life be a dreary pilgrimage , and then Old Man Shaw found himself alone again , except for little Blossom . She was christened Sara , after her dead mother , but she was always Blossom to her father -- the precious little blossom whose plucking had cost the mother her life . Sara Glover 's people , especially a wealthy aunt in Montreal , had wanted to take the child , but Old Man Shaw grew almost fierce over the suggestion . He would give his baby to no one . A woman was hired to look after the house , but it was the father who cared for the baby in the main . He was as tender and faithful and deft as a woman . Sara never missed a mother 's care , and she grew up into a creature of life and light and beauty , a constant delight to all who knew her . She had a way of embroidering life with stars .
She was dowered XXXXX all the charming characteristics of both parents , with a resilient vitality and activity which had pertained to neither of them .
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