46 



enjoy everything, and I quiet and at peace with everybody. 

 Hopeful for the future, and encouraged by the fortunate 

 turn my affairs had taken in the past few days, I found my- 

 self fully alive to all the beauty and charm of the day and 

 scenery, and with a sense of freedom and perfect health I 

 had never known before. On leaving the village, and get- 

 ting into the open country, I involuntarily glanced at the 

 blue sky. All was clear and bright, and not a cloud to 

 be seen, save in the far south-west, where a thin, gauze-like 

 cloud streamed upward and outward over the wooded hills, 

 in shape like a fan. In the east a low, brown bank of 

 smoke from the city drifted up the valley, where the river 

 courses to the sea. What does that mean ? I said to my- 

 self. Not a storm, I hope. It was strange how quickly I 

 had become apprehensive of the weather, and how keenly I 

 had learned to watch for a change. Talking with the 

 children, and admiring the lovely views on every hand, and 

 feasting upon the wild raspberries by the roadside, we found 

 ourselves entering Maple Hill village much sooner than we 

 expected. Ours was a short and pleasant walk, and short 

 because it was pleasant. 



On reaching Mr. McTernan's we entered his gate, and 

 in a moment found ourselves in a perfect wilderness of flow- 

 ers, drawn up in solid and orderly ranks, spread out in 

 glowing masses, here, there, and everywhere. Huge beds of 

 dazzling scarlet, great clouds of white, all colors and 

 shades, mingled in charming confusion. Rose-beds literally 



