Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-01

THE SHUTEs OF SHEFFIELD.
MY wife and had given much thought te the
question Of house rent aud had decided that
we should not be justified in exceeding .l9o a
year, but We hoped to find pretty little place
in the country at that rent. Our requirements
were modest. ''Give me q well-cooked chop
and good glass Of sherry, and can rough it
anywhere" said the intending traveller. We
only wanted thoroughly pleasant house,
wlt.iln easy distance Of country town where
there was good society, a really good garden a
stable and coach-houSe, and few fields. We
had looked at many houses, when one day.
after morning Of disappointment, we saw a
charming one standing some little distance from
the road. and a notice informed US it was to be
let. We went to see 1t. 1t was simply perfect
and was surrounded by garden which | loved
at first sight. 1t was sheltered from every cold
WIND, open to every benign influence, and full
Of the most beautiful old-fashoned flowers. all
growing as if they had been at home there for
years! A single glance showed Inc that some
which had long been vainly try
ing to cultivate were flourishing here
with happy Indifference to human care
My wife was delighted with the house-so was
but it was the garden which completely car
RED me away 1t was not very large but there
were wide open walks. and pretty. secluded
paths. and roses and fruit trees, lawn. and
that garden, never could be satisfied with any
other.
ITS pretty, sir, said the hOusekeeper. OBJ
serving how lovingly my eyes dilated "a
many pretty flowers grow here. They grow of
their own accord like for the gardener has little
trouble with them"
The gardener" / exclaimed: 81 never let
people of that kind run riot among my flowers."
''Oh. Tor, sir. well to be surel But there has
always been gardener here. That's his cottage
there. behind the trees, and she pointed out
pretty, red cottage across the lawn. Little was
visible but the tops OF some dOrmer windows
| Tor high trellis covered with roses screened it
from view.
What's the rent of Farlawn?" l asked in
sudden fear, for the little bit / saw of the gar
dener's cottage was so well built that it alarmed
me.
Lone hundred and sixty pounds. SIR"
My wife's countenance fell. With prompt de-
cision she took off her spectacles, put them
carefully in their CASE, and slowed them away in
her bag as no longer needed.
lone hundred and sixty pounds" repeated,
very sadly.
''Yes, my dear that settles it," said nv be-
loved wife; but she mad no idea what regret
was feeling
II suppose it's no use thinking of it." said I,
with sigh. 'but never saw flowers do so well
in any garden before
Come, john said my wife. Its only firing
ourselves for no purpOse-we had better go
You know as well as do that we ought not to
saddle ourselves with such high rent"
stop! L have an idea," said l joyously
I'VE might reduce the rent by letting that cot
tage."
$50 you might, Sir" interposed the house
keeper. 1t has six good rooms and a Kitchen:
it was let little while back to the Curate.
It's only the last year or two the gardener has
We went to the cottage. and when I saw what
an excellent house it was decided to take Fair
lawn. l settled the matter at once and in ten
days began to move in. 1 gave the cottage a
naine likely to infame ardent and poetical
minds; called it Byzantine Cottage, and adver-
tised it freely 1t had veranda covered with
roses and pretty little garden of it's own in
| front, slOping down to the high road We had
established ourselves at Fairiawn. brought our
! dear only daughter home from school and re-
| turned most OF the calls made on us by the resi-
dent gentry, before we had an application for
the Cottage At last q gentleman came-a man
| OF i've anu thirty, with busily, brown hair keen
| luquirlng, gray eyes, and slngularly Intelligent
| lace His name was Shute. He had STUDIED for
the Bar. but was forced to live in the country on
| account of his wfes health and now devoted
| himself TO art. They had no children. and did
not object TO fOrty-poun1 rent, though |
myself had feared ii was rather too much All
Was soon settled, provided the references he
gave me were satisfactory.
They were most satisfactory. Each OF the
two responsible and well-to-dO gentlemen TO
whom wrote had the greatest pleasure IN tes-
tIfylng TO tile high character of the gentleman
who wished to be my tenant and each concluded
oy saying That such testimony on his Dart was
almost unnecessary. Seeing, that the said zen
tieiIi:til was one of the Shutes Of Sheffield I
reau TINS. anu straightway fine flavor of re-
spectability attached itself to my tenant-he was
one OF the Shutes of Sheffield. This being the
case, dedicated to his enjoyment the larger
part OF large hamper Of line ferns which had
been sent HE from Cumberland and went and
planted them myself in telling spots. That
done, tied up his roses so that his wife might
have the full benefit of their beauty.
And now all care was over and we were
really happy at FairlaWn. Ny wife had her pOuy
Carriage and explored the neighborhood, and
had my garden and my box OF books from the
library. Mr. Shutes furniture began to arrive
and Mr. Shute himself came to see all made
ready for his delicate wife. He staid with u.s.
but he was so busy that We did not see much of
him. He was. however. very pleasant fellow,
and we liked him.
| ranging difficulties. nv dear Mr.. and Mrs. Pc
veril," said he, but there is one little favor
would like to ask of you. Would you mind hav-
| ing that trelIls lowered a little? 1t would be
sueh treat to my poor wife to have just a
glimpse Of your exquisite garden from her sofa
| she Is so unfortunate as to be almost a con-
| frmed invalid"
| II shall be very glad began.
THANK you. thank you! / felt sure you
| would be kind. Shall / give orders to have
the trells removed. or will you?''
removed l had imagined that he said
| lowered" Now, like to throw OFT nv coat
and waistcoat when l am working in nv gar
| den-but one can't behave i'll to a delicate
| woman.
| ''She is coming tomorrow" said he; '.there
| is no time to lose
had not the courage to plead for it's ONLY
| being lowered, and now the windows of Eplan-
tine Cottage raked my happy hunting grounds
where had hitherto been SO full of liberty. and
so alone. My heart ached for the poor roses
which had been thrown down with the trcllis.
MI Shute began to pluck them. and said he
would put them in water to help to make the
house gay for his wife. Then he threw them
down. e4ciaiming, AFTER all, she won't be here
I'M t0-morrow l am sure you will give me
handful OF fresh ones in the morning"
You have roses Of you own" said impa.
tiently. for he had flung down all those he had
just gathered-and it infuriates me to see flow
ers iil-treated.
Il know have" said he calmly; ''but don't
want to touch mine They make the front of
the house look we'll. My wife, Mr.. Peveril ia
quite the creature Of Impressions! Come and
see how you like the look Ut the little place now
that the furniture is in. -
Everything looked most charming. The rooms
were large and low, with low. wide lattced win
dows and window seats. The view into nv gar-
den was delicious. 1 never thought the Shutes
paid too much rent after had aaon thot rhair