The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-08-28

Grlnston, who told him, when he heard
his business, that it was in Mr.. Flint's
department. When he was shown into
Mr.. Flints loom, Mr.. Flint could only
repeat, he said, the instructions of the
landlord.
"You see, my lad," he said, 'these
holdings that have been let hitherto for
thirty pounds per annum, and now worth
fifty. Yet my client, Mr.. Crote, is ready
to renew the lease for three more lives
at the very slight fine we have named
to you. What would you have more
reasonable ?"
{" Sir, L make no complaint" George
answered.; " "only I want to abide by the
ground, and l have not so much money
as you require. L owe nobody penny;
and to pay my way and lay by enough
money for next years seeds and roots
has been the most that I can manage. I
have saved fifteen pounds. Here it is,
sir; take it, if it will help me in this
business"
"Well," Mr.. Flint suggested, "what
de you say to this make no promise,
but think can persuade Mr.. Crote to
let you retain possession of your land,
for-shall we say ?-two years, at the
rent of fifty pounds; and, at the expira-
tion of that term, you may perhaps be
able to pay the fine and to renew your
| lease"
"I will accept that offer, sir" A
| homespun man clings to the walls of
home. Swayne's nursery would not
support so high q rental; but let the
future take thought for itself-to post
pone for two years the doom to quit the
roof-tree under which his mother
suckled him was gain enough for
| George.
So he turned homeward and went
cheerfully upon his way, by short cut
| through narrow streets and lanes that
| bordered on the Thames. His garden
er's eye discovered all the lonely little
pots of mignonnette in the upper win
dows of the tottering old houses; and in
the trimmer streets, where there were
rows of little houses in all shades of
whitewash, some quite fresh looking,
inhabited by people who had kept their
windows clean, he sometimes saw as
many as four fiower-pots upon q win
dow sill. Then, there were the squares
of turf, put in weekly installments of
six inches, to the credit of Gagged larks,
| for the slow liquidation of the debt of
green fields due to them. There were
also parrots; for large number of the
houses in those river streets were ten
anted by sailors who brought birds
from abroad. There were also all sorts
of grotesque shells; and one house that
receded from its neighbors had small
garden in front which was sown over
with shells instead of flowers. The
walks were bordered with shells instead
of box, and there were conchs upon the
wall instead of wall-howers. The sum-
mer-house was a grotto; but the great
center ornament was q large figure
head, at the foot of which there was a
bench erected, so that the owner sat
under its shadow. It represented man
with a great beard, holding over his
shoulder a large, three-pronged fork,
which George believed to be meant for
Neptune. That was a poor garden,
thought George. for it never waved nor
rustled, and did not by ono change of
show itself conscious of the passage of
the hours and days and months and
! seasons.
1t interested George good deal more
to notice here and there the dirty leaf
of new kinds of plants, which, brought
home by some among the sailors, strug-
gled to grow from seed or root. Through
the window of one house that was very
poor, but very neat and clean, he saw
put upon table to catch the rays of a
summer sun, strange plant in BIOS
som. 1t had a reddish stalk, small,
pointed leaves and, from every cluster
of leaves hung elegant red hower-bells
with purple tongues. The plant ex-
cited him greatly and when he stop
ped to look in at it, he felt some such
emotions as might stir an artist who
might see work by Rubens hung up
in pawn-broker's shop-window. He
knocked at the green door, and pale
girl opened it, holding in one hand a
piece of unfinished needlework. Her
paleness left her for minute when she
saw that it was a stranger who had
knocked. Her blue eyes made George
glance away from them before he had
finished his respectful inquiry. 81
beg your pardon" he said, but may
ask the name of the flower in the win
dow, and where it came from? ?"
"Will you walk in if you please, sir, y
said the girl, "mother will tell you all
she knows about it.
With two steps, the young gardener
strobe into the small front room where
a sick and feeble woman sat in an arm
chair. The room was clean and little
furnished. There was only sand upon
the floor and, on the table with some
more of the girls work, was part of O
stale loaf fanked with two mugs that
contained some exceedingly blue and
limpid milk. George apologized fol
his intrusion but said what his calling
was, and pleaded in excuse the great
beauty and novelty of the plant that
had attracted him.
4" Ay, ay, but 1 prize it for more than
that, said Mrs. Ellis, " it was brought
to me by my son. He took it as cut,
ting, and he brought it long way, the
dear fellow, all the way from the West
Indies, nursing it for me. Often he
let his own lips parch, sir, on the
voyage that he might give water enough
to the flower that he took home for his
mother. He is a tender-hearted boy
my Harry"
"He is young, then?"
"Well, he is not exactly boy, sir
but they are all boys on board ship
you understand. He could carry of
the house upon his back, Harry could,
he is so wonderfully broad-chested
He's just gone on long voyage, sir
and am feared 1 shall be gone Longer
before he comes back and he said, wher
! L nv. e