WAY-SIDE HINTS. 149 



simple prescribed rules of order, whose fulfilment 

 would work an economy to the company, and add a 

 grace to that portion of the village ? 



I cannot help recalling to mind here some of 

 those charming wayside stations upon the Continent 

 in France, Germany, and Switzerland where the 

 station-master is also manager of a blooming garden 

 (the property of the company), which he manages 

 with such tender care that the blush of the roses and 

 the muffled scent of the heliotropes come to me again 

 as I read the name of the station upon the Guide 

 Book. And yet those French, those German, those 

 Swiss corporators, who encourage their station-mas- 

 ters to such handicraft, are shrewd money men. 

 They find their account in all this ; they like to make 

 their roads attractive ; the way-side villagers encour- 

 age them in it to the full bent of their capacity. 



In one quarter (among those stations of which I 

 speak, but I cannot now just say where) I was pro- 

 voked into special inquiries : " This nice treatment 

 involved a great bill of expense doubtless ? " 



" Yery great care grand labor ! " 



" It must make a heavy bill for the company to 

 foot ? " 



"Pardon, monsieur, the work is mine and the 

 gain is mine." 



" Not very much, it is to be feared." 



