The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-10-21
IN THE GARDENS.

had occurred yesterday.
Il am now fifty years old. was
young then and l was studying law,
prone to sadness, little of dreamer
with melancholy philos-
ophy. did not care for the noisy cafes,
the FOSTERING students or the grisettes
of the Quarter. l always rose early,
and one of my favorite pastimes was to
wander alone, about o'clock III the
morning, in the nursery gardens of the
Luxembourg.
"You others did not know these gar
tlens. They were like an enchanted
garden of a past century, garden as
pretty as the sweet smile of an old lady. I
lockwood hedges separated the straight
md narrow alleys, silent and deserted
-G1}1irvg. between two walls of method |
ically clipped foliage. The gardeners |
scissors relentlessly clipped these divid- /
ing bushes, and here and there You came |
upon parterre of flowers and planta- |
tons of young trees, set out like col |
lcgians on parade, magnificent groups |
OF rose bushes and a whole regiment of
fruit trees.
zone corner of this enchanted garden |
was given over TO the bees. Their straw
houses set at certain spaces apart, on |
benches, admitted the sunlight by doors /
about rs large as a thimble, and all
along the path the gilded and buzzing |
bees, true denizens of these silent alleys
and corridors, real mistresses Of this
peaceful spot, flew in every direction.
II used to 90 there nearly every
morning, and seating myself on bench
would read; sometimes l let my book
fall on my knees dreamily, family hear
ing the sounds of living Paris all around
me, and enjoyed to its utmost the in
finite repose Of this remnant of ancient
regime.
But l found that was not the only
frequenter of this spot aftor the open
ing of the barrieres; L sometimes en-
countered, face to face, in the corner OF
"a grove strange little old man.
He wore shoes with silver buckles,
knee brooches. a snuff colored redingote,
n fall of lace instead of cravat and an
indescribable gray hat, with immense
brim and long hairs, which looked as if
it might have been tho fashion before
the deluge.
HE was thin almost to attenuation,
angular, puckered and smiling. His
QUICK RldilClil5 eyes "CAO AAOfNA oSAAAB
and his lids we . contracted by nerv-
Gus twitching. He always carried
superb gold headed cane, which must
have been from the careful way in which
he handled it O. souvenir of priceless
value.
This good man astonished me at
first, and then he interested me beyond
measure. l watched him across the
4 4 l. co.
stopping near the flOwerbeds so as not
to be seen.
"And now a strange thing happened.
One morning, thinking himself unseen,
he commenced to make the most singu-
lar movements; first Il few little bounds;
then o bow; then he threw out his slen-
der leg and cut a light caper; then he
commenced to pivot gracefully, jump
ing, huttering in queer fashion, smll-
ing us though to an audience, bowling,
throwing out his arms, twisting his poor
puppet of a body, throwing to empty
space tender and ridiculous kisses. He
was dancing.
Il remained petrifed with astonish-
ment, asking myself which was crazy,
he or l?
HE stepped suddenly, as though to
the footlights, then bowed, backing
away with gracious smiles and airy
kisses, which he threw TO the two rows
of clipped trees.
Then he gravely continued his prom
enade.
From that day watched him each
morning go through with his indescrb-
able gymnastics.
"a foolish desire came over me to
speak to him. / risked it, and one morn
ing, meeting him face to face, | bowed
to him, saying:
% 1t is n beautiful day, sir
"He bowed.
Eyes, monsieur, it is verify day of
tho olden times
Eight days later we were fast friends
and l knew his story. He had been bal
let master at the opera during the reign
of Louis XIV. His beautiful cane was a
present from Clermont. When once
started on the subject of dancing there
was no stopping him.
lone day he told me the following.
81 married La Castris, monsieur.
will present my wife to you if you wish
but she does not come out until later II
the day. This garden is our joy ano
our life. 1t is all that remains to us oil
our past. 1t seems to us az though WE
could not live without it. 1t Is old and
distinguished, is it not? Here l seem t.
breathe an atmosphere which has MOI
changed since the days of my youth
NV wife and pass all our afternoon
here. But | come alone in the morn
ings. rise so early
'sAs soon as had finished my break
fast l returned to the LuXem bour;
gardens. Presently perceived my OLE
friend, who tremendously rendered III
arm to a very small old lady dressed L
black. This was La Castris, the grea
dancer, beloved of the king, the favorlt
of princes. the adored of that gallan
reign which seems to have left to tn
world an odor of love.
eve seated ourselves on one of the
stone benches. 1t was in the month OF
May. The perfume of flowers permeatec
the air around us. A glorious sunlight
zlinted through the leaves and cast ray:
Of light around as. La Castris' blaci
dress seemed bathed in sunshine.
1.-The gardens were deserted. In th'
distance could be heard the rumbling o.
vehicles, the noise of new Paris.
"'WiI you explain to me- said Il
the old pallet MASTER, WAdb 'ho iAiAiA''0
really was?
''He trembled.
1.-THE minuet was the queen of dances
the dance of queens. Since there Is M
longer king, there is no longer the min
uet.'
"And then he commenced in pom
pous style long dithyrambic eulogy o
which did nor understand one word
begged Of him to describe the steps
the movements, the poses. he becafn
rather provoked at my obtuseness, an