, 1897-04-22

MS laDorS with q prOud and tender
glance, 1 say the gardener of this fairy
plot. How lovingly his eye fingered OIL
the flowers. What fond delight beamcd
in his approving smile! 1t was not till
we had stood watching him for somt
minutes hat he became aware of oul
presence. Then he looked up.
"Well, doctor" he exclaimed, "ant
how do you think my garden shows to
day."
Beautiful, beautiful, my dear sir!'
The poor fellows eyes sparkled witt
pleasure at that.
II am glad you think so," he said
"She is coming this afternoon, yor
know"
"Ah! So she is," replied my kint
hearted companion nodding.
"And she is sure to be pleased witt
my fowers-she must be pleased-eh
doctor?" inquired the patient eagerly
and anxiously.
"Not a doubt of it. 1t is q foregone
conclusion"
The unhappy man hcaved a deep sigh
of contentmcnt and relief.
"Thank God for that, doctorl I have
arranged them just as she likes them
haven't l? And there is plenty of boys
love-isn't there? She has always been
SO fond of boys love. All, doctor, boys
love is a rare plant to last"
"To be sure it is"
eyes; nothing can kill it when once
it has taken root. Heat won't kill it.
Frost won't kill it. Wet won't kill it.
Drought won't kill it. Weeds won't kill
it. Neglect won't kill it. After a hard
winter, doctor, when every other plant
in the border has been killed, I've
known boys love to be the only IL left
standing. How lonely, how desolate it
looked next spring. But it seemed proud
Of its endurance too. A true PERENNIAL"
He sighed, murmured something that
I could not catch and applied himself
again to his wedding. The doctor and l
passed on to another part of the grounds.
Poor fellow!' said my companion,
as we walked away. THE old story-a
disappointment in love-"
Il guessed something of the sort.
What were the particulars?"
Nothing out of the common. Some
girl to whom he was deeply attached
threw him over and married another
man. He is peculiarly sensitive, and his
reason gave way under the shock"
"He seems happy enough now"
eyes. Very different from what he
was when he first came here. He was
then one of our worst and most melan-
choly cases. 1t was only by accident
that l found out the means to make
him happy and c%ontented."
"How was that?"
"One day the head gardener came
and complained to me about him. 1t ap-
peared that he had taken u spade from
one of the tool sheds and started dig
ging up the turf Of a small lawn, in
that very corner where we have just
left him. l went to stop him in his
work of destruction. 1 found two of the
attendants already dragging him away
by force and the patient struggling,
protesting, swearing in the most fren-
zied manner. l babe them let him 60,
and asked him what he wished to do
and why he had been digging up the
turf. He explained his object to me in
a torrent of eager words. He asked my
leave to execute it with painful anxiety
and excitement.
"He said that her garden-the little
garden which she SO dearly loved had
all been turfed over and spoiled; that
the old fashioned border, which had al
ways been her favorite, was entirely
done away with. And now she might
pNp,n hopG DIV n,,I Sr-hnt 1cp,,1I
she think? What could she feel? He
knew exactly how the border had run;
in what way it had been planted. Might
he not be allowed to cut it out again as
it was and replant it with all the flow
ers and herbs which she had loved so
well? He pleaded SO pathetically that l
could lot find it in my heart to refuse
him. l gave him leave. l told the gar
dener to supply him with all the tools,
the plants and seeds that he might ask
for. The poor fellow seized my hand
and kissed it in passionate gratitude.
Then he took up his spade and set to
work Mt once. The result of his efforts
is what you have just seen."
Poor creature! Poor, faithful crea-
ture!" I murmured.
II dare say you noticed that little
rustic summer house." the doctor III
tinued. HE built that, too-exactly
like her summer house, which ESQ he
fancied) had been pulled down. On fine
days he is happy gardening; on wet
days he is happy sitting in that summer
house, looking ut his border. He is al
ways expecting her. Of course she never
comes, but he is always expecting,
therefore always happy. Indeed l have
known many, many sane people who
find far less pleasure in their life than
he" added the good doctor, with a sigh.
matters.
In n round of absorbing duties and
visits l OOH forgot the episode of this
poor patient and his little garden, and
it might by this time have slipped
from my memory altogether if it had
not been recalled to me Il year Or two
later by q rather remarkable occurrence.
In the course Of my annual holiday
l happened to pay a brief visit to some
Old friends whom I had not seen for
quite q dozen years at their home in
Wiltshire. The father Of the family had
been a college chum Of mine, and dur
ing his lifetime I had been to see him
tolerably often. But after his death my
visits 70 his family became less fire.
quent, and at last ceased altogether;
not owing to any diffe renee o. GOODNESS,
or indeed from my purpose or design,
but simply because domestic and bust
.a.u &ior LanposnodL 70 dram na In onno.