Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-29
II THE GARDENS.

"My little story Is very old" said
Jean Bridells. half apolosizings bat II
you woald like D. hear 10 win tell it 70
you Tt Is as vivid 20 ne as though IT
hal occurred Yesterday.
Il am now hsty years old. was
young then and / was studying law.
psone 20 sadness. little II a dreamer.
inprs grated with a melancholy pAilus-
oD4y ddn3t care for the noisy cafes.
tho roisteriag students or tie grisettes
u tas Qu..rtier I always rose early.
aai enc of my fayorite pastimes was to
wander aioue. ab0gt s O'Clock in the
morning Ia the nursery gardens OF tho
Luxembourg.
''Xoa others did not know these gar
Gens. They were Ike an enchanted
garien % = past century. a garden Is
pretgJ as the sweet smile OF an old lady.
Boxwool hedges separated me straight
and narrow alleys. silent and deserted
alleys. between TWO walls Of method
icsd.y clipped foliage. The gardeners
SCISSORS reieutlessly clipped these divid-
Ing BE- hes. aud here and there YOU came
upon parterre OF flowers aud planta
tons Of young trees. set on, ike col
lelaus on Parade. magnificent groups
cf rose iusles and whole regiment Of
frrt ,rces.
~ous corner of this enchanted garden
was gwen over % the bees. Their straw
houses set at certain spaces apart. on
beaches. admitted the sunlight by doors
about as large Is a thimble, and all
along the path the gilded and buzzing
bees, trge delizeas of these silent alleys
and corridors. real mistresses of this
peacelal Q0t. Gsw in every direction.
Il used 90 so there nearly every
morning. and seating myself on bench
wacid read; sometimes | let my book
faA 0n my knees dreamily, family hea--
Ing tho sounds If living Paris all around
ms. and enjoyed % It's utmost the in
fnlto reposa of this remnant Of ancient
regime.
But | found that l was not the only
freqUeuter Of this spot after the open
ing OK tho barrieres; L sometimes en-
c0Cu-srcl. faco 20 face. in the corner Of
q grove u strange little old man.
lie wore shoes with silver buckles,
knee brooches. . snuff colored redingote.
fall of lace instead Of cravat and an
iudescribable gray hat, with immense
brim and long hairs, which looked as if
IL IA ght have been the fashion before
the deluge.
"lie wls thin almost 10 attenuation,
% a..slsls..-.1
quick slancing eyes were never still,
and hB Ills were contracted by u nerv-
Gus twitching. lie always carried a
superb gold headed cane. which must
have been from thecareful way in which
ho handled It souvenir of priceless
value
This good man astonished me at
first. aud then he interested me beyond
measure. / watched him across the
lcafy wall: followed him from afar.
stopping near the howerbeds so As not
% Dr. seen
And now strange thing happened.
One morning. thinking himself unseen.
be- commenced - make tho most singu-
lar movements. first a fsw little bounds;
thcn q bow; then be threw out his slen-
der lex and cut light caper; then he
commenced 20 pivot gracefully. jump
ing iutrering IN a queer fashion, snil-
sr as though 20 an audience. bowling.
THROWING out his arEas. twisting his poor
puppet II q body. throwing 90 empty
space tender and ridiculous kisses. tie
was dancing
Il remained Petrided with astonish-
moat. asking myself which was crazy.
be or J.
''ilo stepped suddenly, as though TO
t'.o foothghts. then bowed. backing
away with gracious smiles and airy
ksas. which he threw 20 the two rows
OF clipped trses.
'tTaen he grnvely continued his prom
enala.
'.From Thar day watched him each
morning ~ through with his indescrib-
able eyIunHtics.
"A foolish desire came over me 20
speak 20 hm. risked 10. aad one morn
inr. meeting him face 90 face, bowed
On hun. yiug
ut is q beautiful day. sir
"us bowed
Yes. monsieur. IL Is verify day %
the o'1en times
-ht DAYS later we vers fast friends
and knew ais story TIE had been ball
let master as the opera during the reign
81 Louu XV. Ills beautiful cane was =
present from Clermout. When once
started on Che subject u dancing there
was uo stopPinE him.
ono day he told rae che following.
q" Il marrisd Ia Csstris. monsieur
win present my wife 20 you II YOU wish.
int She does nor come out until later in
ths day This garden is our joy and
our hfs 1t n Al THAI remains 70 rs %
err past rt seems to us ~ though we
could not i've without e. Il is old and
rnguisded. IS 10 not Here | seem "a
breathe An atmosphere which has not