St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-27
ogled through their eighteenth century
moDocleS the market gardeners
Only Daughter!


''For he had daughter-oh. yes. in
deed, and very fair and lovely maiden
was she. as beautiful as her own roses,
and as desirable as her fathers finest
fruit. For she was the old mans only
offspring and his sole heir. She was
known by the soubriquet of la belle
Grey, and she married in due course of
time one of the gay Lotharios who used
to loiter up and down the sunny paths
beside her: and time passed on and the
great ty-London-ever striding for
ward with giant strides, absorbed the
smiling marked garden, and transformed
its fruits and flowers into streets and
squares. and all memory of the old
gardener and his goodly heritage was
forgotten and obliterated. save only the
memory of his lovely daughter. For
behold how potent ga spell does Senti-
ment wleldI The flower fadeth, the
grass withereth,' death claims all things
living-but beauty never dies, and in
the name that now distinguishes this
quarter of the West end. Belgravia, we
find graceful tribute to the memory of
the fair maiden Of other days la belle
Grey.
lit is pretty little legend. and my
Thoughts were full of 1t as rang the
bell OF No. Halkin street and was ush-
cred into the presence of
Mrs. Arthur Paget
sit is not logical, doubtless feminine
minds are not always logical, though
they certainly are responsiye-tO be
swayed by first impressions. To be a
shrewd analyst of humanity one should
never make up ones mind in hurry,
and above all things one should distrust
first conclusions, no matter how Spon-
taneouS they may be. | am not an an
alyst, however, Notwithstanding my
keen appreciation of Henry James and
Mr.. Howells' dissecting processes. l
own frankly to be governed by first i'm
pressiOns, and in this case | have no
reason to doubt their accuracy.
Mrs. Paget met me with SO cordial
hand-shake, accompanied by so bright
and genuine smile, fell at once under
the spell of her personality.
~ am very glad to see you,' she said,
though you find me in dire confusion.
l am only just returned to town. and
should be on my way to the south of
France. We never stay so late in En-
gland as this. l cannot endure the dirt
and the dust and the miseries and hor-
rors of the English climate in winter.
1t is far too depressing and enervating
for so impressionable temperament as
mine, or for one who loves sunshine and
brightness and flowers and clean win
dows and dainty surroundings as much
as l do
Yes replied. You inherit all the
susceptibilities and procliyitieS of your
nationality. l have never yet known an
American who really appreciated Lon
don dirt and fog, though | have known
Englishmen who pinned ineXpressibly
for them after few months of your
cOuntry's vivid brilliancy and florid col
oring. Prof. Herkomer prayed for one
week of unadulterated authentic
London Fog,
so wearied were his brain and eyes by
the unaceustomed transatlantic bright
ness
1.-The room in which Mrs. Paget re-
ceived me is separated from the draw
ing room by a small. square ante
chamber, curtained in deep Venetian
red and holding wide couch set
against window conservatory OF ferns
and palms. 1t is long, narrow room,
evidently Mrs. PagePs particular sane
tum. The walls are hung in pale olive
green paper, ornamehted with small
Pompadour pattern i'll white, the win
dows draped in pale green silk to match,
relieved by carpet of deep crimson;
the furniture, which is French in form
and style of the last century, covered
with old stuffs and brocades. Opposite
the windows is low white marble
chimney shelf, on which are various
ceramic vases and ornaments, while a
large mirror in white fiorlated frame,
with candle girondelles en- suite, forms
the over-mantel.
Gan ormolu Louis XIV. writing desk
stands at a right angle with one win
dow, fitted up with silver implements,
and holding collection of midget pho