The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-18 00:00:00

AN ARCADIAN ABBE.

In this garden at Tiffauges (says Mr. Lowtn, in
his recently-published "'Wanderer in Western
France") was a beautiful diminutive chapel standing
near the summit—a Gothic chapel. It was quite a
little gem of a building. It was of a warm, yellow
sandstone, bright and fresh, and stood out all alone
in the midst of the flower beds. Not far from this,
and crowning the top of the hill, was a long, low
white dwelling-house. Returning to the hotel, I
inquired to whom belonged the garden and the
chapel. "Oh," said Clemente, "you should go and
see the Abbe—he will be charmed to show you his
garden and his chapel. He is always pleased if any
stranger will pay him a visit." She went on to tell
me that the owner of this garden was an Abbe. He
was possessed of considerable property, this hill-side
forming a part of it. He had now no curl or parish,
and he had built this little chapel out of his own
funds, and said mass in it whenever he pleased. It
had cost him 20,000 francs. He had laid out all the
garden himself ; converting a rough, wild piece of
ground into what it now was, and had spent 5,000
francs in shrubs and flowers and in making the
garden. Naturally I went to pay a visit to the
garden-loving Abbe. He was not at home. But
his sister was, and sent me a polite message to in-
vite me to see the garden. On entering the gate I
found myself in front of the chapel. The door was
open, and the little building empty. Inside, its
length was 25 feet, and its breadth 16. The altar
end of it was in the form of an apse. Tall, narrow
lancet windows lit it from both sides, and these were
of stained glass, representing various saints and the
virgin, Pius the Ninth, and some coats of arms,
These latter were slightly incongruous. The ceiling
was groined, and the floor was of inlaid tiles, in
patterns. The body of the chapel, if one may use
such a term for such a diminutive space, was quite
empty—not a chair or a seat. But near the com-
munion rail was a Prie-dieu chair, covered with
blue and red cloth, as also a good comfortable arm-
chair, covered with the same material, of the same
colours. The altar within the rail was neat and
rich, there being but two pots of flowers on either
side the small cross. A more exquisite and luxu-
rious little chapel I never entered. The sun shone
bright and hot upon its floor through the open
door and, slantingly, through the stained windows,
filling the fairy interior with rich and varied light;
and the buzz of flies, as they sunned themselves on
the floor, was the only sound in the quiet place.
Two large porcelain plates, filled with some liquid,
were on either side the door within, and these were
black with the victims of their love for the pleasant
things of this world offered them by the thoughtful
Abbe. Here the good man came every
when at home to say his mass to his
eietsrs ei for
r
small household—though I observed no morning
the household, If one might judge of
chapel—he
the Abbe
eh
by his belongings—his garden and
was a man of some taste, and one who
He was of a
bo thoroughly
enjoyed the good things of this
b
family of Mortagne whichhad been avocets and
medical men forgenerations,life.
a thriving and money-
making family. Abbebad been brought up
The
to the church,and had reached a middle age with
the reputation of generous and benevolent man.
An uncle haddied a gnd left him a fortune. He had
and
as an Abbe, without
,a t
settled himself
any church duff,
and was enjoying his life of
and
di:vistate with his garden his ele-
gant
°awn cum and his sister, and doing kind
-
little chapel
round him,
acts by all a

LIFEBOAT SERVICES.—ABERDOVEY, CARDIGAN
BAY,
Monday Night.—Mr. D. Williams, hon, secre-
tary of the Aberdovey branch of the Royal National Life-
boat Institution, reports that on Saturday two large barks
were making for the harbour, the foremost being towed by
a steam tug. It was blowing hard at the time. Owing to
there being a considerable fall of water on the bar, and no
qualified pilot on board the vessel in tow, she grounded on
a sandbank, upon which the other bark dropped her anchors.
Most of the cargo of the stranded vessel was thrown over-
board to lighten her, but it only caused her to drift further
on to the banks, when she turned broadside on to the surf,
and is now waterlogged. A portion of the. crew reached
the shore in one of the ship's own lifeboats. The remaining
six of the crew were saved by the Aberdovey lifeboat of the
National Lifeboat Institution. The stranded vessel was
the bark Wm. Bromham, of Gloucester.
ANOTHER " LITTLE WAR" AT CAPE COAST !
A loree of natives, 12,000 strong, under their chiefs,
in aid of the Gold Coast Artillery (under Captain Brownell),
of the 2d and 3d West India Regiment detachments, the
Cape Coast Rifles and Volunteers, all under
0_
Major
Cochrane, are stationed at points along the frontier,
wot
the Ashantees in order. What the fight is about
not, —Army and Navy Gazette.