Morris tribune., 1883-03-17
\ LEAF FROM 4 LIFE.

II remember the girl as if had seen her
yesterday" said Madame Sophie r. al do
not know her history; | have never seen
her again. But what / do know | will re-
late to you since you wish to hear it,
Not far from the city of l.. lies little inn
garden by river. 1t is now some years
since circumstances Obliged ME to spend
a tWelye-month in l.. am not used to the
life of great city. found little in it to
please me. and it was with delight that
one day accidentally discovered this garden
to which could go easily, in which hence
forward found myself again and again with
pleasure. A quarter of an hour by train
brought me to small station, at which
alighted. A brief space of dusty highroaA
then lay before me, still bearing traces OF
the adjacent city in mean houses in ragged
wayside weeds whitened by the dust or
splashed by the mud raised by hundred
carts and wagons that daily numbered along
the city gates, in frequent wine shops and
a half-listless folk, in all the shabby life,
lacking the characteristics of town and cOun-
try alike, which clings about the outskirts OF
great town. But sudden turn bron ut
me at once to scene that had the charm
Of absolute peace among rural surround
ings A deep winding lane ended in a
quiet little inn set between pc plars and
green hedges. Co cEs and hens were forever
pecking about the grass-grown threshold
OF the open door, or strayed Tito the
passage that led through the house; ducks
quacked and struggled to and from shall
low pond pigeons cooed; TIE deep reso'
naut blrk of a chained hOuSe-dOg an
nounCed every newcomer An atmosphere
OF homely couatr life in short, lay about
the whole phase; it seemed TO me paradise
Of peace and sunshine and quiet that had
found, when | first discovered the little inn
in its sheltered nook. A trellised vine was
trained above the door in front, and behind
the house lay the garden OF which have
spoken. 1t was long strip of ground shut
III on either side by high bushy hedge AMI
ruStling poplars. There was no urf and
hardly and flowers to brighten the uniform
green; only few Struggling roses, a few
bushes CT rosemary set in some plots OF thrifty
" vegetables near the house. Lower down,
green vine covered berceaux afforded cool
shelter from the sun, and at the extreme
end of the garden, divided from it only by
low iyy-grCwn wooden palisade from a
river which gave the whole place its charac'
ter and its charm. 1t was not wide or
rapid river on the contrary, it was gentle
stream, so narrow that every wild flower
growing among the deep grass in the Oppo-
site meadow could be seen from the garden;
so quiet that its unrutfied surface had al
most the CLASSY stiffness Of pool, and its
clear depths reflected each tree and BUSH
each blade in the fringe of grass that over
hung it from the high banks, each leaf of the
water-plapts its tranquil current hardly STIR
red. Above and below the little inn the
river made i bend; willows and elms closed
in the prospect, and added the charm of
the mysterious beyond to the deep seclusion
of the scene. Immediately opposite the
garden lay a breadth of Verdant meadow
land shut in by rising ground behind, by
trees en- either side red and white cows
sometimes wandered there or ca ne down
to where a break in the oyerhanging bank
had allowed muddy path to be trodden to
the rivers edge. For sunlight and shadow,
for peace and for the suggestions of peace,
for GOODNESS and Verdure, and silence I'M
ruftied except by the inarticulate murmur
of ripple and birds, know of no spot
to equal my little river garden.
describe it infinitely for it is inseparably
connected in my mind with the girl whom
| saw there for the first and last time As I
think OF her it shapes itself in all its details
as the background to her image
I had visited it often through the long
hot summer; l had made friends with the
cheerful hostess; had dined there and sat
there through some long afternoons, reading
and writing at one of the little green ia
bles set about in shady corners. I even
thought at one time of leaving the city alto
gether during these sultry months, and of
establishing myself at my little inn fresh
white curtains swaying to and fro in an up
per easement seemed to promise an equally
fresh interior, cool retreat with verdan.
prospect Of trees and green Swallowed water
But on reflection ! gave up this idea. |
feared to miss part of the charm of my gar
den in becoming familiar with it, in loosing
the sense Of contrast between the hot roads
and its leafy freshness by bringing the dusty
cares of everyday life to desecrate this tran
quill nook, devoted hitherto TO leisure and
enjoyment. One grows an epicure in these
matters, l find, as one grows DID, naive
pleasure, fresh impression becomes treas
ure to be boarded, not recklessly used or
flung aside after the careless fashion OF
youth. Therefore l resolved to stay in the
city; end was confirmed in this resolution
by certain Sunday afternoon excursion
that | made to the little inn. Alighting
from crowded train and issuing from the
station | found the road lively with carts
and public vehicles filed with young men
and city maidens, and long before I reached
my gsden the sound of loud voices, of song
and laughter, warned me of what 1 should
find. l looked and fled. did net grudge
them the garden, heaven knows. 1t was l
who was out of place, but since it was quiet
had come to SEEK fed.
1t was more than a week before / went
again. | arrived early and found, as was
not unfrequently the case, that I had the
garden to myself. 1t was drawing toward
WIG CilA VA thC niiu thC LdClAoW
light, the sense of ripeness in the air, gave,
as / remember, an added sense ofrepose to
the quiet spot. l had seated myself in my
favorite corner; the hostess happened to be
absent, but the little maid had served me
my usual MONDAY meal of coffee and eggs;
| had arranged my books and writing ma
terials on the little table before me and ON
the bench at my side, and was looking for
ward to a long and peaceful afternoon, when
two newcomers entered the garden and ar
rested my attention.
At the first glance, indeed, took them to
be such gorgeous couple as sometimes
strayed into the garden to breakfast, but
closer observation made me at once change
my opinion. The man, who was tall, fair,
and handsome, was no bourgeois His
hands, in one of which he carried pair OF
dogskin gloves, were white, with carefully
kept nails, and a plain seal ring on one
finger; his coat was well cut; he had an