Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-07-27
The Rector Of AbernthneV.

new Hall The STAGE had mt ma douvn
by nook in the highway. felt weary
and excited and seated myself unon tbe
trunks which the driver had hnt a mo-
ment before upstranned FROM, tho boot
But the WEAKNESS all left me. and the
excitement changed to a quiet calmness
as gazed ON the scene before me.
Some so wards to nv right. embowered
among its little world of trees, stood the
manse. 1t was a beautiful building;
there was no definiteness about the style
of architecture-it simply seemed to be
the creation of an exauisit staste There
was nothing about it suget tstive of forti-
fication and defense, like those of the
Tudor or Elizabethan STYLES; it was nei-
ther of the open Italian order nor vet of
the modern pointed gothic. II was n
sort of COMPROMISE. between the latter
probably what might be called the An
glo-Italian, and a manse peculiarly adapt
ed to the artificial landscape gardening
in the front and the naturalness of the
dusky woods and the frowning hills in
the background. There was no accumu-
lation of buttresses and gables and ttr-
rets and such other conceits that lower
the dignity of a house; true, there were
terraces, but they were ornamental ac-
companiments-the impaired an i'm
posing breadth to the whole group of
buildings.
The approach to the house was through
n broad. extensive avenue. lined on either
side with a variety of trees planted with
the most delicate attention to effect. I
detected the silvery green of the white
poplar mingline with the dark green of
the native oak, blended here and there
with the abnormal tints of the sycamore
and the purple beech. The gardens
glowed with the same inspiration of
beauty and taste. From where stood
nv eve could not criticise their regular
ity. but I saw the. outlined hedges of
blossoming hawthorn. the flowerbeds en-
circled with their ribbons of lockwood.
and the gay petunia Haunting beside the
humble violet and the bee haunted
THYME.
I felt that the spirit which presided
over that exouis;te blending Of nature
and art was tboroueblv an artist NOT
simply of the apnreciafive but of the
creative school He was moro of an
nrtiat than tho Ilainfar Tho
latter commences with n tabu1a rasa.
his nencil ;s spbiect 70 his will. he nnts
down n rock here and n brool,let tbere
and works in his buildings and trees 40
taste NAV supgest or the laws of ber.
snective demand Then he can remove
with tbe same facility with which he
creates The landscane gardener must
accent localities no he finds them. he
mpst conceal deform;tias and croatia
beanties The Greater and moro nnmer-
ons tbe difficulties he has to sp,monnt
tbe mora sunerior to the landscone
nainter il his taste and penius
Rewore of rhe man saws some one
who loves neitber flowers nor children
There is NOT si,nnlv n sneciousness about
that remark. II is the embodiment of
trutb We are conscious of the weight
and imnortopce of tba c,ntion no mat
fer how limited onr exnerience AS 7
pazed mon tbe scene before me I felt
convinced that tbe proprietor of All
ernthnev Hall loved both flowers and
children. that he was n gentleman of re-
fined sensibilities. n Christian and n
scholar had come to act as governess
To his children. had miseivinps in
reference TO nv new home. NV coniec-
tures of barsbness and n want of annre.
citation at times made me almost shrink
away from duty. But I was satisfied
and wholly at ease as I sat there upon
fine bagpape which made mn the sum of
nv earthly nossess;ons
And vet there was much of regret con-
nected with it-not ON account of nv
self but on account of another. We
read that William Morton Kane,s friend
and companion. stood alone when he
pazed mon tbe unfrozen Polar sea surg-
inc and rolling beneath him. The soul
of De Soto. when he first beheld the Mis-
sissippi. was not touched with half the.
grandeur and sublimitv. The dream of
philosophy was n reality: the inductions
of science a truth: the open Polar sea
was foundl
The chilling grandeur of the snow. the
palaces of ice, ideal Alhambras glitter