Master of the Vineyard 

Myrtle REED (1874-1911) 

"Why don't you sell the vineyard?" she asked, though her heart sank at the mere suggestion. 
"Sell it? Why didn't the Ancient Mariner sell his albatross and take a nice little trip around the 


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world on the proceeds? Mother would die of a broken heart if 1 mentioned it to her. The Marsh 

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family have been the slaves of that vineyard since the first mistaken ancestor went into the 

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grape business. We've fertilised it, pruned it, protected it, tied it up, sat up nights with it, fanned 

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the insects away from it, hired people to pick the fruit and pack it, fed the people, entertained 


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them, sent presents to their wives and children—we've done everything! And what have we 

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had for it? Only a very moderate living, all the grapes we could eat, and a few bottles of musty 


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old wine. "Mother, of course, has very little to do with it, and, to her, it has come to represent 

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some sort of entailed possession that becomes more sacred every year. It's a family heirloom, 

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like a title, or some very old and valuable piece of jewelry. Other people have family plate and 

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family traditions, but we've got a vineyard, or, to speak more truthfully, it has us." 

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Read by Celine Major. Total running time: 08:09:13 

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This recording is in the public domain and may be reproduced, distributed, or modified 

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without permission. For more information or to volunteer, visit librivox.org. 

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Cover picture by Sven Wilhelm (2017). Copyright expired in U.S., Canada, EU. and all 
countries with author’s life +70 yrs laws. Cover design by Carolin. This design is in the public 
domain. 

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