OUR SENTIMENTAL GARDEN 



such a serenity, such an airiness as of wings to the spirit. 

 Mr. A. C. Benson says, in some early book of his, that 

 one of the great proofs to him of the existence of God is 

 the feeling which comes at the sight of a very beautiful 

 prospect. We want to give ourselves to it he says to 

 be absorbed into it / and that is a movement of the soul, 

 for everything earthly is possessive. 



Arabella, who is a very affectionate dog, flung herself 

 down beside her master, taking up a large share of the rug, 

 and pensively chewed gorse half the time, the other half 

 being absorbed in extracting its prickles from her chest. 

 Laddie, of course, slipped off to the chase. The two little 

 dogs, russet brother and little white sister, whiled away a 

 period of inaction : Betty, by circling round the bath-chair, 

 jumping in to assure its occupant that she loved her very 

 much and out again to show that she was a dog of tact / 

 and Loki, panting in his great fur coat <in which condition 

 he grins like a Chinese dragon with his roseleaf tongue 

 bent back in the oddest little loop between his white teeth) 

 by seeking cool spots wherein to repose preferably under 

 the very wheel of the chair, to his Grandmother's dis- 

 traction. 



An afternoon to remember, when nothing happened but 

 the greatest happenings of all : God's good gifts of sun 

 and wild moor and balmy air ! 



220 



