Year: 1860

ing vine /; his barns, and racks, and or.
ohard; all this formed an apartment too
tempting to remain long untenanted ir a
bright month of August.


Accordingly it was almost immediate.
ly engaged by gentleman in black, who
who walked over one fair morning, paid
ten pounds as deposit, sent for his
trunk from the next town and took pos
session on the instant


Her new inmate, who, without posi-.
lively declining to give his name, had yet
sontrived to evade all the questions which
Mrs. Kent's simple cunning could devise,
proved perpetual source Of astonishment
to herself and her neighbors. lie was a
well made little man, near upon 40 with
a tcrseness of feature, forehead of great
power, whose effect was increased by a
slight badness on the top Of the head,
and an eye like a falcon. Such an eye
1t seemed to go through you.


His habits were as peculiar as his ap-
pearancc. He was moderate, and rather
fsnciful drank nothing but water OF
strong coffee, and had, as Mrs. Kent re-
marked, great number of heathenish
books scattered about his apartment
The greater part of his time was spent
out Of doors. lie would even ramble
away for three or four days together,
with no other companion than boy, to
carry his odds and ends; which consisted
for the most part of an angling rod and
sketching apparatus-our incognito be-
ing, as my readers have by this time pro-
baby discovered, no other than an artist
on his summer progress.


Robert speedily understood the stran-
ger, and was delighted with the opportu-
nifty of approaching SO gifted person I;
although he contemplated with degree
of generous envy, those chef dewres of
all nations, which were to him as sealed
books ;, and the pencils whose power
seemed nothing less than creative. He
redoubled his industry in the garden that
he might conscientiously devote hours,
aud half-hours, to pointing out the deep
pools and cddies of their romantic stream,
where he knew from experience that fish
were likely to be found; and better still,
he loved to lead to the haunts of his child
hood, the wild bosky dells and the sunny
ends Of lanes, where sudden turn in the
track, an overhanging tree, an old gate,
a cottage chimney and a group of cattle
or children, had sometimes formed pic
ture /, on which his fancy had fed for
hours.


1t was Roberts chief pleasure to entice
his lodger to scenes such as these, and to
see his own visions growing into reality,
under the glowing pencil Of the artist;
and he in his turn would admire, and
marvel at, the natural feeling of the beau
tiful, which could lead an uninstructed
country youth, instinctively, to the very
elements of the picturesque. A general
agreement of taste had brought about a
degree Of association, unusual in persons
so different in rank "a particular in.
stance of this accordance dissolved the
intimacy.


Robert had been for more than fort.
night uncommonly busy in Mr.. Les
combc's gardens and hot-houses--so busy
that he even slept at the Hall; the stran-
ger on the other hand, had been, during
the same period, shut up, painting in the
little parlor.


At last they met; and the artist invited
his young friend to look at the picture
which had engaged him during his ab-
sence. On walking into the room, he
saw on the easel, picture in oils, almost
finished The style was that Of a de-
lightful kind, which combines figure with
landscape: the subject was hay carrying;
and the scene that very sloping meadow
crowned by Farmer Bells tall, angular
house, its vinc-wrcathed porch aud Chin
neys, the great walnut tree before the
door, the orchard and the homestead
which formed the actual prospect from
the windows before them--In the fore.
ground was wagon, piled with hay, sur
rounded by the farmer and his fine fami-
ly--somc pitching, some loading some
raking after, all intent on their pleasant
business. The only discngaged persons
in the field were young Mary Kent and


Harry Bell and urchin of four years old,
who rode on her knees on the top Of the
Wagon, crowned and wrcathed with gar
lands of vine-lcaves and bliudwced and
poppies and cornhowers. In the front;
looking up at Mary Kent aud her broth
er, and playfully tossing to them the locks
of hay which she had gathered on her
rake, stood Susan Bell--her head thrown
back, her bonnet half of, her light and
lovely figure shown in all its graces by
the pretty attitude and tho short cool
dress; while her sweet face glowing with
youth and beauty, had smile glowing
over it like sunbeam. The boy was
nodding aud laughing to her, and seemed
longing--,as well he might-.-to escape
from his howery bondage, and jump into
her arms, Never had poet framed love-
lier image of rural beauty Never had
painter more felicitously realised his con-
ception. ~ .. ...


We'll Robert exclaimed our artist.


y Still Robert spoke not.


60 Don't you think it good subject p
continued the man of the easel. l was
sitting at the window reading Froissart,
whilst they were earring the after-crop,
and by good luck happened to look up,
just as they had arranged themselves into
this very group, and as the evening sun
came slanting, exactly as it now does,
across the meadow;--so / dashed in the
sketch instantly got Mary to sit for me


\. n F..