Litchfield enquirer., 1857-09-03


 gratis ard layers, for sowing annuals, and fo destroying the insects on the rose-trees. Mad eleine has on the sill of her window two wood en boxes, in which, for want of air and sun she has never been able to make any thing grow butt mustard and cress but she per suades herself, that thanks to this information all other plants may henceforth thrive ir them. At last the gate-keeper, who is sowing the seeds which he does not watt, and the old maid goes off delighted, and begius to act over again the dream of Perette and her can of milk, with these flowers of her imag gination.
 On reaching the grove of acacias, where the fair was going on, lost sight of the two Sis ters. 1 went alone among the sights there were lotteries going on, mountebank shows places for eating and drinking, and for shoot ing with the cross-bow. I have always been struck by the spirit of these out-ofdoor festiv- ities. In drawing-room entertainments, people are cold, grave, often listlcsS, and most of those who go there, are brought together by habit or the obligations of society in the country assemblies, Oh the contrary, you only find those who are attracted by the hope of enjoyment. There, it is a fore d conscription |: here, they are yolmtears for gaety Then, how easily they are pleased How far this crowd of people is yet from knowing, that to be pleased with nothing, aud look down on ey- cry thing, is the height of fashion and good taste Doubtless their amlSements are often coarse elegance and r,fnement are wanting in them but at least they have heartiness. 1 Oh, that the ht arty enjoymcnts of these mer- rymaki gs could he retained in union with less vulgar feeling Formerly religion stamped its holy character on the celebration of country festivals, and purified the pleasures without depriving them of their simplicity
 The hour arrives at which the doors of the porcelain manufactory, and the museum of pot tery are open to the public I met Frances and Madeleine again in the first room. Fright ened at finding themselves in the midst of such regal magnfcence, they hardly dare Walk ; they speak ill a low tone as if they were in church.
 We are in the kings house." said the cid est sister, forgetting that there is no longer a king in France.
 encourage them to go on walk first, and they make up their minds to follow me. What wonders are bro lght togeth,r in this collection Here we see clay moulded into every shape, tinted with every color, and con- bined with every sort of bstance l Earth and wood are the first substances worked upon by man, and seem more particu- 1 larly meant for his use. They, iih the domes tic animals, are the ess nt.al accessories of his life therefore, there must be more intimate l connection between them and us Stone and metals require long preparations /; they resist our first efforts and belolg less to the individ- ual than to communities Earth and wood are, on the contrary, the principal implements Of the isolated being who must feed and shelter himself
 This, doubtless, makes me feel so much in terested in the collection am examining These cups so roughly modelled by the savage admit me to a knowledge of some oi his pecu far habits these elegant yet incorrectly formed vases of the Indian tc me of declining n- tell gence, in which still glmmerS the twilight Of what once was bright sunshine these jars, loaded with arabesqucs show the fancy of the ! Arab rudely and lgi!oranty copied by the Spaniard! We find here the stamp of every race, every country, and every age.
 My companions seemed little interested in these historical associations they looked at all with that creduious adMir.tio which leaves no room for examination or discussion. Mad elene read the name written under every piece of workmanship, and her sister answered with an exclamation of wonder.
 In this way we reached little court yard where they had thrown away the fragments ot some broken china. Frances perceived col ored saucer almost whole, of which she took possession as record of the visit she was making henceforth she would have a speci- men of the Sevres china, tchich is only nude ! for J.jl,rs { I won!H uplocnivn hn, l,- telling her that the products of the manufac- tory are sold all over the world, and that her saucer, before it was cracked, was the same as those that are bought at the shops for six pence Why should 1 destroy the illusions of her humble existence? Are we to break down the hedge-Rowcrs which perfume our paths Things are ofteneSt nothing in themselves the thoughts we attach to them alone give them value. To rectify innocent mistakes, in order to recover some useless reality, is to be like those learned men who will see notbing in a plant but the chemical elements of which it is composed
 On leaving the manufactory, the two sisters who had taken possession of me with the free dom of artleSsuess, invited me to share the luncheon they had brought with them. de- clined at first, but they insisted with so much good nature, that feared to pain them, and with some awkwardness I gave way.
 We had only to look for convenient spot I led them up the h and we found plot O , grass enamelled with daisies and shaded by two waluut-trees.
 Madeleine could not contain herself for joy I All her life she had dreamed of dinner ou ) on the grass While helping her sister tt take the provisions from the basket. she tell t me of all her expeditions into the country tha
 had been planned and put off. Frances, ol the other hand was brought up at Montmo n rency, and before she became an orphan, sh y had often gone back to her nurses house. Ina $ which had the attraction of novelty for he s sister, had for her the charm of recollection