The Rescue of an Old Place 



winding stream ; some Willows near at 

 hand. So far, so good ; but the fore- 

 ground is the puzzle. It is a muddle at 

 present, being a sacrifice to the utilities, 

 and is more or less disfigured with fruit- 

 trees and vegetables, and piles of sand 

 that have been dumped upon the marsh. 

 A good deal veiled it is, fortunately, by 

 the bending boughs of Pear and Apple 

 trees laden with fruit, which is their plea 

 for life, and when one is seated the balus- 

 trade of the veranda is an efficient screen, 

 so that one can freely enjoy the pleasing 

 prospect. 



The French talk of the St. Martin des 

 femmes, which comes to them after the 

 beaute du diable has long gone by ; and our 

 meadow, too, has its fleeting glory of 

 youth in early spring, with Apple-bloom 

 flush, and delicious verdancy to match, 

 and then, after a commonplace summer 

 of good looks, it comes to its Martinmas, 

 and burns, and glows, and smiles, with a 

 richness and warmth that are the precursor 



of the 



Hectic of the dying year. 



In this mature beauty, which is far more 

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