Hllllan started from a reverie, and looked so 
surprised, that her aunt saw it, and inquired the 
cause. 
“Indeed:” exclaimed Noel, In a serious tone. 
“When did this arrangement take place ? and why 
was I kept in ignorance or it? 
“ Well, it. was just before you came here, and 
ma said you were not to be spoken to about It, till 
you had settled your own affairs. Of course, we 
then thought you would be able to give me a dowry 
and a Iroiissiw u. That dreadful Miss Oarlsforde 
has spoiled all our plans, hasn't sho ?” 
“ Dont chatter ol things that you do not under¬ 
stand,” said her brother, sternly; *• but tell me the 
particulars or this precious engagement.” 
“ I am not going to be scolded when 1 am notin 
fault,” cried Irene, pouting angrily. “ Ma knows 
all about it; and I am her daughter, if she sanc¬ 
tions my marriage, you have no business to ob¬ 
ject to It. Girls as young as 1 am marry every 
dav, don't they V I am very fond of you. Noel, and 
I submit to your lectures like—like an angel; and 
I can't let you spoil my chance of making a good 
match with your scruples. Ma says l oughtn’t; 
and I wont 
“ I think -we had better leave Mrs. Estoourt’s 
name, out of our discussion,” said Noel, striving 
to curb Ills annoyance at this exposition of Mrs. 
Estcourt’s sentiments. - Will you tell me who the 
gentleman Is ? and how long you have known 
him?” 
The answer was rather an incoherent one. 
“ Matilda Jenkins' cousin; and It's a twelve- 
month and more; though, as he never took any 
notice of me, and even assured her that I was too 
loud lor his tastes. 1 considered him a regular prig, 
and gave her leave to tell him so. Ills name, did 
you ask? Clement Dunforth. toe young lawyer. 
Oh ; Miss Gray, he Is such a handsome man! Not 
so tall nor broad shouldered as Noel, but ever so 
much better-looking; and we're to lx- married, 
directly. Well, what now ? now disagreeable 
you are ! If 1 had heal'd that you wore going to be 
married, I should have said something civil, not 
glared and grumbled as you are doing.” 
“ The cases will boar no comparison. You are a 
child, and a very absurd one. Mre. Estcourt must 
have been—” 
He stopped ; but Irene coolly finished the sen¬ 
tence for him. 
“ Mad, when she gave her consent! Fkldle-de- 
deel She cannot manage me herself, and she 
would be only too glad to make me over to some 
one who can. besides, clement Dunforth Isn't the 
sort of fellow to whom anyone would like to say 
1 No.' 1 tried to, for 1 was rather rrlghtened at 
first; but he wouldn't hear of It, and when 1 got 
used to the Idea ot becoming a marrtod lady. I 
liked It. You’ll come and stay with me. Miss Gray, 
when l am settled Ln a house of my own. I’ll 
have such glorious cookeries, and make cakes and 
toffy as often as I’m in the humor.” 
•• But my dear Irene, do let us talk seriously!” 
remonstrated Noel. 
•- No. thank you ; why should we? It’s all set¬ 
tled, except the day ; and I don't want to be made 
miserable or preached to respecting my responsi¬ 
bilities. clem must take all those upon himself. 
My idea of marriage Is to ha ve a prettily-furnished 
house, all one's own-no little brothers and sisters 
continually wanting bread-and-butter cut, or fall¬ 
ing down and hurting themselves; no one to nag, 
nag, nag till the sound distracts me-as many new 
dresses and hats as Matilda Jenkins can boast of, 
and a gallant, good-looking husband to take me 
out whenever I ask him. oh: Noel, It will be 
absolutely delightful! 1 shall be as happy as a 
queen !’’ 
HllUau bent forward and kissed the glowing face 
of the speaker; but Noel grew graver and more 
annoyed tlian before. Why had Mrs. Estcourt 
sanctioned an engagement entered Into so hastily? 
and why had she kept It a secret from htrn ? llis 
surprise and vexation at the course she had 
adopted drew rrom him the question, why were 
the plans of the mother and daughter revealed to 
him now ? 
•'As you have kept me In Ignorance so far, what 
Is the reason for honoring me with your commence 
this evening ?” 
Irene put up her lip, and slipped her hand Into 
Hllllan's 
“ isn't lie horrible., Miss Gray, when, he takes 
that sneering tone ? I wouldn't fceU him another 
word only element’s written to say that he’s com¬ 
ing to CarlMorJe to see me. and 80 I'm obliged." 
“ Then It Is to Mr, imnfmib’.s impudence I owe 
the confession of your engagement 1” exclaimed 
the angry Noel. “ Who gives ldm leave to come 
here ? You had better write and remind him i h it. 
we ourselves tire only the guests of Miss oarlsforde, 
and that I consider tils proposed visit an imperti¬ 
nence.” 
“Oh! but I daren't!” cried the dismayed Irene. 
“ Besides, he says that business will bring him 
Into the neighborhood ; and If lie chooses to take 
advantage ol that and call to see me, Miss Caris- 
forde would be a disagreeable thing to object to it - 
wouldn't she?” 
This appeal was to lllllian, who promptly re. 
piled that her aunt was empowered by Miss Carls- 
forde to receive and hospitably entertain any rela¬ 
tive or friend of her kinsman whom he chose to in¬ 
vite to the Park. 
“ But this young man Is neither!” retorted Noel. 
“ i have met Mr. Dunforth on one or two occa¬ 
sions, and exchanged with him a few civil speech¬ 
es, but nothing to warrant him In regarding me as 
more than the merest acquaintance.” 
“ But will you not,, for your sister’s sake, try to 
know him better and like him?” asked Hllllan, 
gently. 
Noel was silent, tor he could not bring himself 
to accede to this He. knew too well tlie miserable 
life Irene led under the peevish tyranny of her 
mother to be surprised at her readiness to embrace 
the first opportunity to escape, from It; but she was 
so young, so lgnorard so iboroughly unfitted In 
every way to t ake Upon herself ihe duties of a wife, 
that he felt he should not be Jus titled in furthering 
such an early and busty marriage as tills would ho. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
He tried to recall his own impressions of Clement 
Dunforth, and remembered him only as a reserved, 
shrewd-looking young man, endowed with none of 
the social talk and ga llantry most likely to recom¬ 
mend lilm to a girl like Irene. Yet what motive 
but love could dictate Ills courtship, seeing that 
she had no fortune, aud was never likely to have 
one? 
Presently he questioned her respecting the posi¬ 
tion aud prospects of her suitor, and was still 
further dismayed to And that neither she nor Mrs. 
Estcourt knew much, if anything, concerning 
them. When he began to express his astonish¬ 
ment that a mother could act with such exnaor- 
dlnary want ol caution, I rene grew restive, and 
angrily Interrupted him. 
“ Oh! Noel, don't fuss so. I suppose we shall do 
as well as other young couples; and U you must 
know all mamma said about it, she told me that, 
you would be sure to come round by-and-by, and 
marry the ugly heiress. Now, don’t be cross; I'm 
only repeating her words; and she added that If 
you did not marry Ml&s c.. still, as a peer ot the 
realm, you would have itln your power to advance 
element's Interests. Get him some berth abroad, 
will you, Noel? Do, dear: I should so like to go 
to Paris, or Vienna. Matilda Jenkins says those 
are the places to see life.” 
Nodi burst Into a laugh; but there was not much 
merriment ln It. The more he heard concerning 
the projected mutch, the more It provoked and 
perplexed him. At last he decided to put no ob¬ 
stacles In the way ol Mr. Dunforth's proposed 
visit. If Mrs. Estcourt had been dazzling the 
young man with false visions of the prosperity to 
be attained by wedding the half-sister of an earl, 
it was only fair that he should be undeceived as 
speedily as possible. 
•‘Youcan write to Mr. Dunforth,” he told Irene, 
“ and say that when he comes Into this neighbor¬ 
hood, your brother will be glad to have an Inter¬ 
view with him.” 
“There’smy dear old boy!” was the rapturous 
reply. “ And you will be civil to nun, and recol¬ 
lect what 1 said about living abroad, and—” 
••Gently, Irene. My first task must be to make 
Mr. Duntorth understand that he will have noth¬ 
ing to gain by marrying my little sister. Ji it Is 
not lor the mere love of her that he comes a-woo- 
Ing, the engagement must be nullified at once.” 
“And I shall have to go back to rna, to be wor¬ 
ried Into m.v grave with her Ill-tempers and the 
tricks of those tiresome children,” ciled Irene, 
bursting Into passionate tears. “1 won't submit 
to It, Noel! I’ll elope Iirat' ' 
“You laid better go away till you can behave 
more sensibly,” retorted her brother, restraining 
his compassion for the foolish child. •• I hope, for 
your sake, as well as his own, that Mr. Dunforth 
will brlug a little more common-sense to bear on 
the subject than you are evincing. When you 
have some concept ion of the solemn nature of the 
ties you are so eager to enter into, It will be quite 
soon enough for you to marry.” 
The severity ol this speech made Irene put her 
lingers in her ears and dirt out of the room. llllll- 
an tollowed to console her. a nd Mrs. llurst to have 
the curiosity satisfied which their perturbed looks 
had awakened. So Noel was left to his own reflec¬ 
tions. _ 
CHAPTER XV. 
A MYSTERY. 
Irene soon recovered her equanimity, and find¬ 
ing that her brother made no further allusions to 
the subject of her engagement, she was content 
to be silent too, aud requite herself for her for¬ 
bearance by drawing such pictures to lllllian of 
the freedom aud pleasure she expected to enjoy, 
that the latter was sometimes amused at her 
simplicity; hui more frequently Inclined to ask 
herself how the Inexperienced girl would endure 
the realities of married life when plunged Into 
Them thus suddenly, and with no wise mother at 
hand to give her good counsel. Mrs. Hurst, when 
made acquainted with the state of affairs, shook 
her head gravely, but proposed to help the little 
bride-cIeoC prepare herself for her new station. 
Her offer was gratefully accepted, till Irene found 
that Mrs. Hurst would have taught her to make 
and mend her own clothes, and intended to initi¬ 
ate her into the mysteries of house-keeping ac¬ 
count*, besides supplying her with recipes to be 
copied from her own. Against such teachings 
the foolish girl unhesitatingly rebelled, 
“Why, It would belike serving an apprentice¬ 
ship-and a hateful one, too!" she exclaimed. 
•• 1 know when h dinner Is well cooked, aud when 
a dress fits, or a hat. suits me. The servants and 
the milliners must do the rest. Why should I 
meddle with their work? If 1 am to drudge ln 
the kitchen, aud make my own clothes, I may as 
well Mop with ma. 
• Rut if Mr. Dunforth is not a rich man, It is 
quite necessavy that you should know how to 
economise.” 
•• Noimensc! It is he who must do that,” Irene 
persisted -11 he cannot afford to give me all i 
expect, why did he ask me to have him; I told 
him plainly that 1 did’nl. care much about him; 
but that 1 should dearly like to have a nice Uttle 
home and a pony-carriage of my own—my very 
own, So, you see, Miss Gray, we quite understand 
each other.” 
“ ir she would but take a few lessons in cook¬ 
ing!” sighed Mrs. Hurst, when Irene's decision 
was communicated to her. “ Having been a wife 
myself, although torso short a time that three 
days over the two years is exaggerating the term 
or my wedded bliss, as poor dear Hurst expired 
within twenty four hours, with no greater warn¬ 
ing than • Martha, I’m going to leave you,’ which 
might have meant that he had made up his mind to 
try a change of air, his cough being troublesome; 
but I had quite enough experience to know that 
no married man is happy whose wife Is careless 
of the gravy aicJ doesn't order appetising din¬ 
ners.’’ 
“Oh! yes; I’ll learn to cook, with pleasure!” 
cried Irene, “Nothing could be more (JpligUtrui 
than making tarts and pies—except eating them. 
I’ll begin to-morrow morning.” 
But It Is doubtful whether Irene ever did enjoy 
the fruits of ber culinary labors, for by some heed¬ 
lessness on her part nothing she attempted proved 
successful. 
Under these circumstances, Irene soon on me to 
the conclusion that she was not born to be- a cook, 
and returned to the more agreeable occupation of 
turning over the contents of sundry cabinets and 
cases, ln the small room adjoining the library, 
which the late Lord Carisforde had once Intended 
to convert Into a museum For this purpose lie 
had gathered together a large number of natural 
curiosities, and though Irene cared for nothing 
that did not attract her by Its beauty, she was 
sometimes Infected by the enthusiasm of Hllllan, 
who frequently joined her ln her retreat, and 
whose deeper reading and more enlarged mind en¬ 
abled her to see beauties in stones or fossils, or 
antique marbles, that her companion had caret s s- 
ly passed over as not worth a second glance. 
But Hllllan’s visits to the museum or library 
were hurried ones; for, unlike the more Idle Irene, 
she was always fully employed. Although so 
quiet and unobtrusive, everyone looked to her for 
aid. Miss C arisforde had enjoined that, the poor 
on the estate should be well looked after. Who 
was to do this but Hllllan Gray ? Then there were 
household eases ln which Mrs. Hurst—rendered 
suspicions of the sen-ants by her deafness, and the 
housekeeper's uowt'iinguess to take orders trans¬ 
mitted by •* a. dependent, like herself’’—was con¬ 
tinually In need of some one to explain or act for 
her. And who could do this as well as Hliilan ? 
Lord Carisforde, too, proudly declining to take 
upon himself The bus) ness matters that cropped up 
dally, referred them to Ids little friend Hllllan, 
who must conquer her timidity, aud, to the best of 
her ability, answer letters, hear appeals, aud de¬ 
cide how this or that was to be arranged till the 
lady of the estate could be consulted Nor was this 
all. Noel was still toe Invalid; and, though Mrs. 
Hurst sat always beside him during toe greater 
portion of the day, and believed that she was a 
welcome and cheering companion, she did not 
know how often he feigned sleep to silence her 
loquacity, or with beseeching looks asked Hllllan 
to read to him or play chess, to relieve the mono¬ 
tony of the. hours that hung so heavily upon his 
hands. 
Never more pleased than when she saw that she 
was ot use to some one or other. Hllllan Gray con- 
tilved to find time for all her occupations, and, 
however many or urgent the calls made upon her, 
always took care to be at leisure to sit with the In¬ 
valid at that twilight hour Just before dinner which 
Mre. Hurst spent at her toilet, it was then that 
Noel, wearied with the length ot toe day, and 
therefore most Inclined to below-spirited, required 
a little cheerful society, aud Irene was never to be 
depended on. She would often be seized with 
compunction for having left her brother at the 
mercy of Mrs. llurst so long, and yet let some 
trifle draw her In another direction led ore she was 
half-way to Ills room. 
On the evening before Mr. Duniomi was expect¬ 
ed. Hllllan’s tap for admittance was answered with 
an eager •• Fray come in. Miss Gray, I have not 
seen the human face divine since luncheon; for 
Mrs. llurst has been engaged with the housekeep¬ 
er upon some Important question of pickling or 
preserving, and no one else has been near me.” 
1 1 am sorry,” said Hllllan; “but when I went 
to visit a sick woman, whom Dr. Monson asked tue 
to call upon and relieve, your sister faithfully 
promised to stay with you. Where Is she v” 
“ I am here,” exclaimed Irene, coming suddenly 
into the room, and speaking ln such tremulous ac¬ 
cents, that Noel inquired what ailed her. 
“Nothing—I mean I don't know,” was the Inco¬ 
herent reply. “ l have been frightened—terribly 
t lightened!” 
“My dear Irene, what has alarmed you7 ' asked 
her brother aud Miss Gray ln the same breath. 
“Tellme first,” she cried, “If anyone—any fe¬ 
male, I mean—lives in this house whom I have not 
seen?” 
” Certainly not,” answered Hllllan, promptly. 
“Then It Is as 1 supposed," faltered the trem¬ 
bling girl, hiding her blanched face on Lord Carls- 
rorde’s shoulder. “ The figure J have Just seen ln 
the library was not a creature of this world. Don’t 
laugh, Noel; forlt was a terrible—terrible sight! 
Heaven forbid that I should ever behold It again!” 
—[To be continued. 
-- 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
The (school Garden. By Dr. Schwab, Director 
of the Vienna Military Gymnasium, etc. From the 
German, by Mrs. Horace Mann. New York : Hol¬ 
brook k Co. 
Within a few years the idea has gradually be¬ 
come a conviction In the minds of many educators 
that the rising generation must be educated by 
labor as well as study. This, however, must not 
be made a severe task, but a delight. Froebel, 
with his kindergarten, gave this thought a great 
Impulse, and now Uttle children In thousands of 
kindergartens all over Europe and America are 
trained in their earliest years by organized play 
and work j and under the hands ot good kinder¬ 
garteners these children are as happy as they can 
be, and learn to use their hands and limbs and 
mind in a way that prepares them when older to 
use them profitably and Joyously In toe work of 
life. 
“The School Garden” takes up the same Idea 
and adapts It to older children as they are foimd 
la all our public and private schools after they 
have left the kindergarten, in France, Austria 
and Sweden It la no longer an experiment,. In 
France, we are told, there are already thousands 
of schools with gardens attached to them, under 
the euro ol’ properly qualified teachers. In vicu¬ 
na, where Dr. Schwab started the movement, the 
authorities appropriated land and money rather 
reluctantly for the experiment, and three years 
later willingly and enthusiastically doubled toe 
land In order that all the children of the city 
might come under Its cheering, refining, ennobling 
influences. In Sweden every school has its gar¬ 
den, and the unsightly schoolhouses and yards of 
America would be looked upon there as a disgrace. 
In Ca mbridge, Mass., the experiment has also been 
tried, and Mrs. Mann writes that It made the chil¬ 
dren as happy as they could be, and some of the 
boys even laid dow n on the grass lawn they had 
made and actually hugged and kissed It. Dr. Nor¬ 
throp, one of toe living educators of Connecticut, 
and many others are advocating tree-planting by 
t he children of the schools, and thus practically 
bringing them Into contact with Nature and work. 
Dr. seguln, one o( the foremost ot our medical 
educators, is advocating school gardens with great 
earnestness. This Uttle book by Dr. Schwab, 
translated by Mrs. Horace Mann, la Intended to 
awaken an Interest ln school gardens, and make 
them ln America what they have become ln Eu¬ 
rope, a highly prized educational force. 
school gardens In city and town are destined to 
be a great educational force ln America. This 
book, full of spirit and enthusiasm, will materially 
hasten the day. 
-» «■ «- 
MAGAZINES. 
CONTENTS OF SCRIBNER’S MONTHLY FOR MAY, 
1879.—rort rail of Oliver Wendell Holmes, drawn 
from life by Wyatt Eaton, engraved by T. Cole; 
i he New Museum in Rome, Sofia Boroplana; The 
rastoral Bees, John Burroughs, Illustrations by 
Mary Hallock Foote j At Odds with Lite, David L. 
Proudfit; A Story of toe Latin Quarter, Francis 
Hodgson Burnett; A Day on the Docks. Charles 
H. Farnham; The Voyager, Richard Watson Glid¬ 
er; Village Lawn-l lant,lng, Samuel Parsons, Jr.; 
False and True. J. G. Holland; A Narrow Street 
(In Two Parts), Part. I.. Adeline Trafton: Two Ser¬ 
mons, Austin Dobson; Brazil (l,). The Metropolis 
ol' the Amazons. Herbert H. Smith; April, L. Frank 
Tooker; Chimney Swallows, Horatio Nelson Pow¬ 
ers; “ Haworth's." Chapters XXXIII—XXXVII, 
Frances Hodgson Burnett; The Four Konaos— 
Wales, A. D. 560—Charles de Kay; A Pilgrimage 
to valambrosa, T. R. Bacon; A Man without En¬ 
thusiasms. A. A. Hayes, Jr.; The Frozen Fields, 
I. lyod Mifflin ; Richard Henry Dana, James Grant 
Wilson; The Descent of t he Angel, S. M. B. Platt; 
Wlihetmj and Remenyl, J. R. R. Hassard; Oliver 
Wendell Holmes, Francis H. Underwood; On a 
Late Learned Advocate, Master also of Music, 
Thomas W. Bartons; Broken Strings, E. Norman 
Gunnison: Three Days in Sussex; Nature’s Lover 
(To John Muir), Marie Mason; 'topics of toe Time. 
Home and society—Boys of the Family, 111.; How 
to become a Mechanical Engineer (William H. Ride- 
Ing)—The Maternity society—A Design tor Fire¬ 
place, with Diagram (W. R. Corson). Culture and 
Progress. The World’s Work. Brlc-a-Brac. 
Trees and SnRCBS fok the Lawn.—T here must 
be a catholic taste shown lu selecting plants, If the 
lawn is to be properly laid out. 'ihe tendency to 
follow mere fancies, or to use only particular and 
favorite plants, must be kept In strict abeyance. 
Many and various plants should be employed in¬ 
telligently. Hardy decldloua trees, shrubs, ever¬ 
greens, herbaceous and bedfling plants,- In short , 
everything that conduces to the beauty of the 
lawn, must be united Into one harmonious whole. 
Doubtless there are occasions when a mass of col¬ 
or, obtained by using many plants of one kind, is 
desirable, but generally a variety of plants and 
methods ol combination Is more desirable. The 
eye thus never becomes sated, and is ever renew¬ 
ing Its pleasure. But what is the actual condition 
ot lawn-planting as practiced to-day on myriads 
of small places throughout the country.—places, 
moreover, that belong to intelligent people? The 
entire collection consists frequently of a few fruit- 
trees In the background, an elm, a Norway spruce, 
an arbor vita? hedge, with a bed of the glowing 
coleus. All these plants, be it noticed, are of the 
most pronounced and coarsest type. They maybe 
and are valuable in suitable positions or ln other 
combinations, but are decidedly Ul-iltted for the 
Interior of a small place, both f corn the character 
of their beauty a nd their habit ot excessive growth. 
We Intend no disrespect lor either of these vari¬ 
eties, many of their qualities being, lu their own 
way, most admirable; but we do say that If other 
and good selections were made after studying 
parks or nurseries, fewer poor lawns would exist,. 
Were this the general practice, the ubiquitous 
tree dealer, with liLs wonderful plates or Impos¬ 
sible plants, would be forced to seek for pastures 
new, and leave the field open for intelligent lawn¬ 
planting. Landscape gardening (or lawn-planting, 
which in a sense is a synonymous term, although 
the latter treats specially of planting, while toe 
former Includes also drainage, road-making, etc.) 
seems very difficult to some, and Is practically 
considered a myth by others. To one class we can 
only say, practice It yourself and difficulties will 
soon disappear; it has no arcana Into which you 
cannot pierce. TO the other we answer, lawn¬ 
planting exists, and lias Its aesthetic laws, Just as 
taste ln general has definite laws.—S .Parsons, in 
Scribner for May. 
Atlantic monthly for May: Labor and toe 
Natural Forces, Charles carelton Coffin; Witch- 
work, Harriet Prescott. Spofford; To Leadville, H. 
H.; English civil service Reform, George Willard 
Brown; A Fancy; Irene toe Missionary—VI.-IX.; 
The Ship from France, Cl. L. Cleavoland; The Abo¬ 
lition of Poverty, Alfred B. Mason; The Faience 
Violin, AV.H. Bishop; Seven Wonders of the World, 
C. P. Crunch; George’s Little Uhl, M. E. W. 8.; 
The New Dispensation or Monumental Art—The 
Decoration of Trinity Church In Boston, and of the 
new Assembly chamber at Albany, Henry Van 
Brunt; our Florida Blantattou, Harriet Beecher 
Stowe; Emile Zola as a Critic, Clara Barnes Mar¬ 
tin; Americanisms—VIJL, Richard Grant White; 
The Contributors’ Club; Recent Literature. 
Old Times.—a halt century ago, a large part of 
toe people ol the l nlted states lived In houses un 
painted, uuplastered, and utterly devoid of adoni 
ment. A well-fed fire ln the yawning chasm of a 
hugo chimney gave partial warmth to a single 
