Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-09-27
THE SHUTES OF SHEFFIELD.

THE SHUTES OF SHEFFIELD.
My wife and had given much thought
to the question of house rent, and had
decided that we should not be justified
in exceeding f120 year, but we hoped
to find pretty little place in the-eeun-
try at that rate. Our requirements were
modest. ''Give me a well-cooked chop
and good glass of sherry, and I can
rough it anywhere" said the intending
traveller. We only wanted a thoroughly
pleasant house, within easy distance of
country town where there was good
society, really good garden, stable
and coach-house, and few fields. We
had looked at many houses, when one
day, after morning of disappointment,
we saw charming one standing some
little distance from the road, and a no.
tice Informed US it was -toE be let. We
wentto see it. It was simply perfect,
and was surrounded by garden which
1 loved at first sight. It was sheltered
from every cold wind, open to every
benign influence, and full of the most
beautiful, old-fashioned flowers. all grow
ing as if they iEsd been at home there
for years! A single glance showed me
thatssomesw which had long been vain1y
trying to cultivate were fiourishing here
with happy. Indifference to human care.
My wife was delighted with the house
so was but it was the garden which
completely carried me- away It was
not. very large, but there were wide
open walks, and pretty, secluded paths,
and roses and fruit trees, a lawn, and
magnificent flower borders. Having
once seen that garden, / never could be
satisfied with any other.
ats pretty, SIR said the housekeep-
er. observing how lovingly my eyes d.
lated. "A many pretty flowers grows
here. They grow of their own accord
like, for the gardener has little trouble
with them II 20
1.-The gardener I exclaimed; .T
never let people of that kind run riot
among my fowers!''
.'Oh. lor. sir. well to be sure, But
there has always been a 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, for high trellis covered. with
roses screened it from view. f-.e
Whats the rent of Fairlawn?' I
asked, in sudden fear, for the little bit
/ saw of the gardeners cottage was so
well built that it alarmed me-
Zone hundred and sixty pounds,
SIR
Ny wife's countenance fell. With
prompt decision she took off her spec
tacles. put them carefully in their case,
and slowed them away in her bag as
no longer needed.
'-One hundred and sixty pounds" 1
repeated, very sadly.
'.Yes, my dear, that settles it, said
nv beloved wife; but she had no idea
what regret was feeling.
al suppose it's no use thinking of it,
said i, with 4 sigh, ''but L never saw
flowers do SO well in any garden be-
fore" -s.tr--
Come, john" said my wife. .It's
only firing ourselves for no purpose
we had better go. You know as we'll
rs L do that we ought not to saddle
ourselves with such n high rent
stop. l have an idea" said I,
joyously. I'VE might reduce the rent
by letting that cottage"
E..YoB might. fr.'' interposed the
housekeeper. 1T has six rooms and a
kitchen; IL was let a little while back
to the Curate. It's only the last year
or two the gardener has had it
we went VI anu Wnen L
saw what an excellent house it was I
de. ,ided to. take Fairlawn, I settled
the, matter at once, and in ten days
began to move in. gave the cottage
. name likely to inflame ardent and
poetical minds.,Jcalled it Byzantine
e;ottaye, and advertised it freely. 1t
had a. verandah covered with roses,
and d pretty little garden of its own in
front, slipping down to the high road.
We had established ourselves ut Fair
lawny brought our dear only daughter
home FROM school. and returned most
OF ahe calls made on VS. by the resident
gentry, before, we had an application
for the Cottage. At last a gentleman
-came-a man of live and thirty, with
bsishy, brown hair, keen, inqairing,
gray eyes, and singularly intelligent
face. His name was Shute.ss He had
studied for the Bar, but was forced to
SfSe in: the country on account OF his
wife Health, and now devoted himself
TO lit. They had no children. and did
not object to a forty£ rent, though
Il ysch had feared it was rather too
mnch. All was soon settled, provided
th, references he gave me were salts
factory.
y They were most satisfactory. Each
of the two responsible and wellto-do