Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-08

hu1 tue MUSIC duu INC anu VI ipA4s+iceo
everywhere, and above all the opera and
the theaters. Paris was very nice. j had
no idea / could enjoy any city so much
after Venice. / thought that enchanting laby-
rinth of marble lying upon the breast Of the
waves would take the color out Of every other
city in the world But Paris was nice. all the
same and was sorry to leave it. Home is
sweet ALWAYS / have been reading my Ger
man Plato this morning undsr the willows that
shade nv fathers grave IN the old spot that
has been nv sanctuary since | began to
read serious books and TO try to understand
the thoughts of great writers. Plato is 50 COM
forting after SchOpenhauer and Hartmann
Plato is full of hope, they the preachers
Of despair.
Mother seems happy to be at home again in
the old rooms among the books and pictures
and in the gardens she loves dearly. She
has imported a small fortune in the shape OF
specimen conIfers AMI aza!cIs and peonies and
roses from a famous nurseryman near Paris,
and she is happily employed N experimenting
the planting of her treasures. 1t is rather
late for planting. our head gardener says in his
bEoad Scotch; and he even went so far as to
give "a saving quoted by the great Sir Walter
himself. .'I'aunt Tree before Candlemass
and ye may command it to grow; plaunt one
after CIndlemass and We may jOost beg it to
grow But in spite OF Sir Walters proyerb,
we must trust in Providence and in our good
old Macdonalds skill
Uncle Ambrose retains the cottage in which
he has lived SO long and i'll which CyriIs child
hood was spent. There is no room in our
house for his books, which fill every available
wall IN the cottage. SO he keeps them their
old shelves, and uses his Old study sometimes
when he is working on any subject which re-
quires much reference to authorities. He is
writing new book believe. though he has
not confessed as much to either mother or me.
lie is very reticent about his literary work
and seemed surprised and almost scared by
the success Of his last book. and by the tre-
mendous amount Of criticism and argumenta-
ton that was expended upon 1t.
Il could not live without literary work" he
told me once; but do not derive very much
pleasure from the publication of a book.
Critics are aggravdtIng race. They see
meanings that never meant; they overlook
the most obvious points.
He Is the most seIf-contained man this world
ever saw, believe. He takes delight in
the things that please other people but he is
the best and kindest friend / have. and he
AdOres mother; so what eau / want more in
him to make up perfection? Cyril Is his Oppo-
site in most thngs-aN energy. action. light
heartedness. i sometimes Wish he were a little
less lIght-hearted- One may weary of perpet-
ual sunshine. If l am ever Ill a sad or medita-
tive mood have a feeling that, however kind
Cyril Is. he can't understand me. He seems
miles and miles away from meas far from
England to America.
lie las been away at Oxford since we came
home. visiting some of his college friends. OF
course miss him sadly. but there is kind of
relief in being alone after continual compan-
ionship. Had Cyril been here | should not
have been able to spend a morning by nv
fathers grave. He would have wanted me to
go Tor q ride. or a walk. or to row down to
Henley. fall back into my old WAYS and nv
sad, quiet life naturally, while he is away. and
II II were not that write 10 each other
every day might almost forget that are
engaged.
Uncle Ambrose is not fond of River Lawn.
He does not saw as much. but / know him too
we'll not TO find out his real feelings. Children
have way OF watching faces. and / used to
watch his face years ago 70 see when ne was
pleased or displeased with NE. So that came
TO know every line III his countenance, and
what every line means.
No; he Is not fond OF River Lawn. All the
things i loye-the quaint old cottage rooms
that father and mother found here before they
were married, the low ceilings. the bow
windows. the great oak beams and diamond
panes and leaden lattices-have no charm for
Uncle Ambrose. Nor vet the handsome rooms
father built, studIOusly arran ed FOR mothers
comfort: drawing room and dining room be-
above. Nothing could be more picturesque
than the old rooms, more comfortable and
luxurious than the new. and yet Uncle Ambrose
does not like the house. l i; Ill his
face. He seems to bear a grudge toward the
place father loved and cared about IL il icaI-
ousy, wOnderI Surely philosopher, man
who has studied the deeper meanings and mys-
teTles of life, presen; and future, Plato
studied them. surely such a man could not feel
50 petty and limited feeling as Jealousy.
jealousy of my dear dead fathers love aud
tOrethought for my mother; a Jealousy so trivial
as to set him against the rooms and furniture
my father provided for his wife.
No; cannot believe him capable of such a
childish pettlness. He Is man of large mind
and iar-reaching thoughts, and to be jealous
about chairs and tables-ImpossIble.
Rut the fact still remains: Uncle Ambrose
does not like River Lawn He Is full of his
plans for the house III Grosyenor SQUARE: has
been 10 TO London with my mother twice al
ready to hurry on the work. He wants 10 in
stall Us there at the beginning of June so that
We may enjoy all the galetles OF the season,
the summer season when people almost live out
o: doors. Mother Is to be presented on her
marriage, and am to be presented b. mother
She has begun to talk already OF my court
gown, all white. Hke a brides. Cyril suggested
that II would be an economy for us to marry
while the gown Is fresh; but told him that the
idea OF natrlmOny IN relation to HIM had not
yet entered NV head
1T has entered other peoples heads though.
my dear Lady Disdain." said he Il suppose
you know that a certain suite o! rooms in
Grosyenor square Is being fitted with view to
our joint occupation.
With a view means any time within the next
ten years" told him.
Upon this he began TO be disagreeably per-
sstent and declared that nobody had ever con-
temPiated long engagement. We had plenty
OF money, and what was there to prevent our
being married before the summer over?
"A great many things, said l. But first
and chief among them tine fac; that We are both
much too feather-headed to take such an awful
step matrlmOny."
And then reminded him how nice il was TO
De engaged how much nicer for young people
IKE Us than To be married and tied 70 each
other IN a sort OF domestic bondage
Marriage Is a capital institution for middle
aged and elderly people. said l. The very
best and brightest examples have oi mar
ned people are BaucIs and PhIIe mon aud Darby
and Joan. Now you would not expect me to
feel like BaucIs.
''Baucls was young once" said ne
Yes, and then no doubt she wa engaged to
Philemon. and he used to serenade her as YOU
did me that night at Venice. Oh. II was lovely,
You cOuldn have serenaded your wife You
would have been indoors grumOlnIg at her
more likely"
Daisy, YOU are talking nonsense" said he
B:ernly, and no doubt he spoke the truth
"Oh. am only pleading for youth aud
hberty-fOr the morning hours of hfe." ex-
planned. As II Is you can 20 where YOU like,
ID - L. 81