Year: 1863

have supposed, sir, that you would have be-
haved SO rudely? EC =.


Henry hastily, begged pardon for his
rudeness, which would have been instantly
granted, had he not done So But because
he asked to be forgiven, Floretta thought
Immediately he did not deserve it,and turned
half away from him. Henry advanced sub
missively a step forwards, and Floretta re-
ceded another back; the one clasped his
hands together in supplication, whilst the
other, with her head bent down kept
plucking at the leaves of the hedge, and
tearing off the buds. At last Floretta felt
herself so much grieved By his boldness,
that tears came into her eyes. Henry
spoke to her, but she pretended not to hear
him, amusing herself all the time with the
leaves that she had in her hand.


At last, perceiving that all his efforts
were in vain, Henry exclaimed, well, beau.
tiful Floretta, if the sight of me is so hateful
to you-if you are 80 implacable, and canr
not pardon joke, III leave you, and neve-
more return. Farewell but do not send me
away without one consolation, which is, that
you are not angry with me. Do not sey
those words, 4 am not angry at the same
time bending on his knee before her.


Floretta looked down smilingly through
her tears ON the beautiful youth, who, with
his clasped hands appeared to her by far too
supplicating. She could not help laughing
at bis posture, when, taking both her hands
full of leaves she threw them over his head
so that he was completely covered with
them, and then jumped exultingly away.


Henry FASTENED after her, and soon over
took her, when they both became merry
again Now confess to me, young sir, It's
you that has been encroaching upon my
fathers Office, by digging new garden
round the spring Henry confessed it read
lily. Whenever Floretta goes to the spring
of La Grange said he, she shall remember
me even against her will; there | will
encircle her with the prettiest flowers can
find or procure. Would that l could pro-
cure all the joys of Heaven, oven with them
/ would encircle her'


Very pretty, young sir answered Floret-
ia; 'but father is not at all pleased at your
disturbing his garden, and transplanting the
flowers before their time, and letting them
die. You don't even water them


Il had no watering can.


That you might easilv haze found few
PAGES from hence, at the entrance of the
grotto, if you bad given yourself the trou.
bic to look for it,


With that they both flew to the place
where the water pot was standing, aud be.
gan to water the flowers together, and de
literate how tho circle that Henry had been
digging might be beautified.


In this manner the time soon few away,
and loretta hastened back to her fathers
cottage.


The young prince now turned his atten.
tion to the new garden plantation in which
he was assisted by old Lucas. Nor was
Floretta absent for she went up and down
talking and giving her advice about the
new plants. Even the queen honored
them sometimes with visit, to see what
her son was doing. As for the king OF
France he had little taste for such matters,
and the Duke de Guise still less.


Often in the latter days had Henry more
splendid and more glorious amusements,
but surel y none so sweet as those which he
passed to the simplicity and quiet of his
gardener-life, rendered 80 charming bv the
magic Of first love He and Floretta look
ed at each other with the unrestrained plea
sure arising from innocence; they played
together like children and was as brother
and sister. They enjoyed the present
without concerning themselves about the
future, and their innocent passion never
dreamt Of any bounds Floretta never
gave it thought that she was loved by the
son of queen, regarding in Henry only
the blooming and manly youth. 1t was
the same with young prince. In his grey
jacket, ard the same simple dress which the
other country people wore, there was moth.
ing which called to mind his high descent
and made him anticipate his future destipa-
ton. He troubled himself little about the
great, and the beauties of the court; by
the side of bis Floretta nothing appeared,
and nothing great compared with his rap
ture in seeing her. Whilst at work, his eye
always rested on her beautiful figure By
which, however, the work was often neg
lected, or turned out rather bad. But who
could refrain from looking on the lovely
girl? Every part of her body was separ-
ate beauty; every movement every turn,
graceful; and every word that fell from her
lips full of inexpressible power to him.
There was one thing, however, they discov-
cred, which pleased neither Of them very
much, and that was, that the days they
passed together in the garden were shorter
than those out Of the garden; to ebvate
this, they determined to encroach upon the
night although they knew they would not
be able TO do anything at that time; they
thought however they might sit down and
rest themselves and in the meantime chat
ter and prattle comfortably together


g. / shall be here at the spring al nine
this evening" said Henry softly to Floretta,
whilst kneeling by her side setting some
flowers.


"Will you, Floretta ?"


MY father goes to bed at that time
answered she.


"Will you, Floretta2" he whispered again,
looking at her beseechingly.


Ill