he said cheerily men in the bud like leaves on a tree but you seem boys to a tough old stump of humanity such as i am that is my way � my child though they tell me she is a woman grown is always a babe to me tis one of the many privileges of the old to see the world about them always young and full of children and he led the way past the wide open where they could dimly perceive the spinning wheel standing alone as though thinking deeply of the fair hands that had lately left it idle and so round to the actual front of the house which was exceedingly picturesque and literally overgrown with roses from ground to roof the entrance door stood open � it was surrounded by a wide deep porch richly carved and ornamented having two comfortable seats within it one on each side through this they went involuntarily brushing down as they passed a shower of pink and white rose leaves and stepped into a wide passage where upon walls of dark polished pine hung a large collection of curiously shaped weapon all of manufacture such as stone and rough together with bows and arrows and two handled swords huge as the weapon of william opening a door to the right the stood courteously aside and bade them enter and they found themselves in the very apartment where they had seen the maiden spinning sit down sit down said their host we will have wine directly and shall come hither where is the child she hither and thither like a mountain wait here my lads i shall return directly and he strode away leaving and delighted at the success of their plans yet somewhat abashed too there was a peace and gentle simplicity about the little room in which they were that touched the sentiment in their natures and kept them silent on one side of it half a dozen broad shelves supported a goodly row of well bound volumes among which the time honoured golden names of shakespeare and scott glittered together with such works as s s the poems of john s rome and while mingled with these were the works in french of de the imitation also in french � and a number of books with titles in � altogether an collection of literature yet not without interest as displaying taste and culture on the part of those to whom it belonged himself learned in books was surprised to see so many standard works in the library of one who professed to be nothing but a farmer and his respect for the sturdy old increased there were no pictures in the room � the wide window on one hand looking out on the roses and the pine wood and the other smaller one close to the entrance door from which the was distinctly visible were sufficient pictures in themselves to need no others the was roughly made of pine and seemed to have been carved by hand � some of the chairs were very quaint and pretty and would have sold in a k shop for more than a sovereign apiece on the wide mantel shelf was a quantity of curious old china that seemed to have been picked up from all parts of the most the land of the midnight sun of it was undoubtedly valuable in one dark corner stood an ancient harp then there was the spinning wheel � itself a curiosity fit for a museum � of the mistress of all these surroundings and on the floor there was something else � something that both the young men were strongly inclined to take possession of it was only a bunch of tiny meadow fastened together with a bit of blue silk it had fallen � they guessed by whom it had been worn � but neither made any remark and both by some strange instinct avoided looking at it as though the innocent little blossoms carried within them some terrible temptation they were conscious of a certain embarrassment and making an effort to break through it remarked softly by jove if this old really knew what you are up to i believe he would bundle you out of this place like a tramp didn t you feel a when he said we had told the truth like men philip smiled he was seated in one of the carved chairs half absorbed in what was evidently a pleasing reverie no not exactly he replied because we did tell him the truth we did want to know him and he s worth knowing too he is a magnificent looking fellow don t you think so rather assented with emphasis i wish there were any hope of my becoming such a fine old in my � it would be worth living for if only to look at myself in the glass now and then he rather startled me when he threw down that knife though i suppose it is some old custom i suppose so answered and then was silent for at that moment the door opened and the old farmer followed by a girl bearing a tray glittering with of italian wine and long graceful glasses shaped like round set on particularly slender stems the sight of the girl disappointed the eager visitors for though she was pretty she was not she was short and plump with rebellious nut brown locks that about her face and from under her close white cap with persistent her cheeks were as round and red as love apples and she had dancing blue eyes that appeared for ever engaged in good natured efforts to each other sha � � � f � � � � � � i � � c� lave ft the v ice i ar i c i r i the land of the midnight sun softly on the garden path the door of the 