Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-10-13

u 'hi SINs = AhS yAus Nlu NUlllunl
Coorsc dcyll jangle when dey's mad;
But dcyll quit, sab, mighty within,
When menshun de ole mans CAD.
Charles III. Turner, in Century Mu1azinc.
THE SHUTES OF SHEFFIELD.
My wife and I had given much thought
to the question of house rent, and had
decided that we should not be justified
in exceeding f120 a year, but we hoped
to find a pretty little place in the coun-
try at that rate. Our requirements were
modest. ''Give me a well-cooked chop
and a good glass of sherry, and l can
rough it anywhere" said the intending
traveller. W. only wanted a thoroughly
pleasant house, within easy distance Of
a country town where there was good
society, a really good garden, a stable
and coach-house, and a few fields. We
had looked at many houses, when one
day, after a morning of disappointment,
we saw a charming one standing some
little distance from the road, and a no.
tice'informed us it was to be let. We
went to see it. 1t was simply perfect,
and was surrounded by a 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-fashioned flowers, allgrow-
ing as if they had been at home there
for years! A single glance showed me
that some which l had long been vainly
trying to cultivate were fourishing 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. 1t was
not very large, but there were wide
open walks, and pretty, secluded paths,
! anil roses and fruit trees, a lawn, and
magnificent flower borders. Having
once seen that garden, I never could be
satisfied with any other.
ats pretty, sir" said the housekeep-
or, observing how lovingly my eyes d.
lated. ga many pretty flowers grows
here. They grow of their own accord
like, for the gardener has little trouble
with them"
The gardener" I exclaimed; II
never let people of that kind run riot
among my flowers!"
'NOh, lor, sir. we'll to be sure! But
there has always been q gardener here.
That's his cottage there, behind the
trees and she pointed out a pretty,
red cottage across the lawn. Little was
visible but the tops of some dormer
windows, for a high trellis covered with
roses screened it from view.
whats the rem of Fairlawn?" I
asked, in sudden fear, for tho little bit
saw of the gardeners cottage was so
we'll built that it alarmed me.
"One hundred and sixty pounds,
sir"
My 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" I
repeated, very sadly.
"Yes, my dear, that settles it," said
my beloved wife; but she had no idea
what regret 1 was feeling.
~ suppose it's no use thinking of it,"
said i, with a sigh, ''but I never saw
flowers do so well in any garden be-
FORE"
Come, John.'' said my wife. .'It's
only firing ourselves for no purpose
we had better go. You know as we'll
as do that we ought not to saddle
N'ioSlNCS Will SuCu u ulHu IcuU.
stop! 1 have an idea," said 1,
]oyously. 1--WE might reduce the rent
BY letting that cottage"
You might, sir" interposed the
ho%usekeeper. cit has six rooms and a
kitchen; it was let a little while back
to the Curate. It's only the last year
ortwo the gardener has had it."
We went to the cottage, and when I
saw what an excellent house it was I
decided to take Fairlawn. I settled
the matter at once, and in ten days
began TO move in. l gave the cottage
a name likely to int1ame ardent and
poetical minds, called it Byzantine
cottage, and advertised it freely. 1t
mad 4 verandah covered with roses,
ana a pretty little garden of its own in
Mpnt, sloping down to the high road.
We had established ourselves at Fair
lawn, brought our dear only daughter
nome from school, and returned most
OF the calls made on us by the resident
gentry, before we had an application
lor the Cottage. At last a gentleman
eame-a man of five and thirty, with
Dnshy, brown hair, keen, inquiring,
gray eyes, and a %singularly intelligent
race. His name was Shute. He had
studied for the Bar, but was forced to
nte in the country on account of his
VIE s health, and now devoted himself
70 art. They had no children, and did
4os object to a forty-pound rent, though
l myself had feared it was rather toe
much. All was soon settled, provided
tne references he gave me were salts.
They We're most satisfactory. Each