, 1900-10-05

deep in the water, the trim villas fes-
TONED with roses and clematis, the
laughing weirs, the fleets of graceful
swans, h barges, and the pleasure
boats, the pools where the water lilies
sweet, (since tate had willed it sol to
enjoy it undisturbed and solitary.
IF this be loneliness" thought,
turning my n into a backwater of
the main river, along which I had al
ready padded with the stream for sew
eral miles Il had passed through two
locks), Il have been often lonelier
among hosts of friends!" And | fear
there was some conceit in the delight
I enjoyed; cast thus upon my W re-
sources l was proud of my buoyancy OF
spirit. l found myself ever and anon
peopling the passing banks and
woods with creatures of M own i'm
igination, making of the whole land
scape a background for the creation of
an as yet unwritten romance. | wove
fairy tales. l am a protested writer
of romances. and determined that the
beings born of my river dream should
awake and live in words on the
shelves of libraries.
l was now in a lovely backwater
beautiful than the Thames itself.
The bankside flowers were more
abundant and nearer to me-indeed
they hedged me about. The pale blue
eyes of innumerable forget-me-nots
smiled upon me, wild roses and BRAN
bles bloomed amid their thorns, the
leaves of the osiers whispered every
where, the weeping willows hung their
arching boughs right across the nar-
ROY creek, which it now pleased me
to explore.
The water was clearer, too. Padding
slowly a;c.ig between the lawns, |
looked into the depths of the water.
with all its wealth and wonder of
plant growth, the waving forest of
submarine weed. where l could see
shoals of minnOws. Now and then a
school Of perch, startled by my paddle,
darted into the shadow of the weed.
and a hinge Jack. sulking In a deep
green pool, made ME long for a rod
and line.
While thus engrossed, bending my
head over the side of the canoe, in
which l continued to drift along slow
ly, l failed to notice how narrow the
creek had become, until suddenly l
found myself close to a lady lying on
a lawn-so close that was almost
touching her.
For a while l sat starirg at her in
bewilderment. Then | stammered,
Where am II"
you are in my fathers garden"
she said.
And I-I-?"
You are a tresspasser."
But she smiled as she said it, a
smile that showed two rows of pearl,
sparkling in the sunlight that dappled
her face.
And your" l said. 1 know not what
l said, but soon l asked her name, and
she told me it was Eve.
And this is Paradise" l answered,
looking through the leaves of the old
apple tree at all the beauties Of the
garden.
Then we talked. OF what? OF every
thing. OF solitude. of friendship, Of
books; l fear of Canada-and of love.
Then she bade me go, and 1 could
not. Nor would l II / could; and
when at length l obeyed her and was
about to go she babe me stay.
So l stayed, and soon had moored
my canoe and stood upon her lawn. |
l cannot tell how 1 of all men-modest
to bashfulness-could have
done SO, but 1 did.
OF the flowers that grew wild there
by the waters edge l made her a
crown. and this l put upon her tangl-
cd golden hair.
Two . that 1 had not seen be-
fore bloomed on her face and she ran
away, hght-footed, and 1.-THE Of limb,
the lawn into her fathers houss.
But /. con6 not laaYa: I could nn<l !