Year: 1861

have been staying for the last month
in the country, billy, stony, and rather
fatiguing country in hot weather (when
there is any. One day, my friend, whom,
for convenience sake, we will call Miss
Brown, said to me, "You have observed
the little spring of water which runs close
to the hedge all the way from here TO the
village? l have been thinking il might
be good thing to place spout at the
top of the hill. There is no water to
drink within a mile of the place without
toilng up the hill"


With some people, to believe that
thing is a good thing is the first
step towards doing it. In a few days, a
brick-layer was employed at the spring.
A small square tank was built 10 catch
the water as it fell, one side being lower
than the other three, so that the water
overflowed, and still continued its course
towards the village. Two earthenware
pipes were placed through the embank-
ment of the hedge, for the water came
originally from a meadow on the other
side. When it was finished it looked
hideous; but this was to be expected.
The brick-layer did the work he had con-
tracted for, and unfortunately little
more; he cut away all the brambles and
ivics which would have ornamented the
fountain. We at once gave up calling it
by the latter name until it should be bet
ter looking. rooted up periwinkles and
ferns from other spots, and planted them
round and apove it, so as to hide the hor-
rible bricks and mortar. We then drove
to the nearest town to buy pewter mug
and chain. The next morning went
down to the "spout," and desired the
blacksmith TO rivct the chain on TO a
stump which had been placed by the side
of the tank. He laughed 80 my nose,"
as the French say. "Do you expect the
mug to remain here week? Why, the
boys will have he off directly. It's deal
too good for this kind of thing" "Not
the boys of the village, l think" said L.


/ returned TO the house, and repeated
what the man had said; but Miss Brown
was not to be moved. Said she, "When
l came here, two or three years ago, eve
ry one said to me, you will have no
fruit in your garden, exposed as it is.
You must build high wall all the way
round it; the boys will eat all the fruit
otherwise / have built no wall; but l
have never missed any fruit. Go back,
and have the chain and mug fixed. l
confde in the honor of the dirty little
boys" The chain and mug were fixed,
and that evening the spout was 10 be in
augurated.


In driving through the village we men,
toned to several children that the mug
was now at the tank, and that they
might come up now at the tank, and that
they might come up at six o'clock if they
liked, and that a0e should be there. Evil
IDENTIFY there was mystery about the
concluding sentence, which was attractive
to the children; for fifty-four of them ar
rived at six o'clock in the evening. We
were there, seated upon the bench which
had been erected close 10 the tank, and
concealing with our dresses some baskets
cf cakes. Miss Brown harrangued the
audience, telling them of the doubts COM
municated to us as TO the safety Of the mug
and reverting to the time when she had
been warned to protect her fruit-garden
from the boys Of the village. ado you
see any high wall built round my gar.
den ?" she asked. No." the children
answered. al said," continued Miss
Brown, "T would sooner trust the boys
than place walls with broken bottles tC
keep them out; and have never known
of boy who has taken my fruit. Sc
now, / trust the boys not to remove tho
mug; not to cut their names upon the
bench; not to throw dirt into the tank
because the tank, and the mug, and tho
bench are ali provided for the comfort o.
the people of the place, and give then
into their care"


Then, each in turn, beginning with our
selves, drank the health Of the company
from the snrinp. after which the cake,