Children's stories; Young women -- Juvenile fiction
It happened, as the old gentleman walked slowly up the Hollow,
for he had stopped the carriage at the entrance, that he fell in with
Dr. Arthur. It was a very frequent thing to see visiters in Mill
Hollow, strangers from other parts of the country and often
foreigners from abroad; and Dr. Arthur would have gone his ways
with a courteous salutation, but that in the instant of making it his
eye caught some indication which obliged him to look a second
time; and after that second look Dr. Arthur joined himself to the
stranger and offered to be his guide and attendant. Slowly, and
very taciturnly on the visiter's part, the various objects and places
of interest were gone over; Dr. Arthur explaining and enlarging
upon everything that seemed needful, but left very much in
ignorance all the while as to the impression made upon his
companion. At last, when they had reviewed the park and were
sitting down to rest and to look, on one of the many places
provided with seats, the old gentleman began to come out. They
had passed a great many cherry trees, hanging full of their just ripe
fruit; roses were all around them, as well as a multitude of other
flowers both old-fashioned and homely and rare; the grounds were
perfectly kept; the air was full of perfume. In the midst of all this,
the old gentleman began.
'This is all very fine, sir. Do you think the owner holds his own in
the matter of money? for after all, that is the test.'
Dr. Arthur smiled. 'One can hardly say of such a man that he has
grown "rich," ' he said; 'but Rollo's income increases with every
year.'
'Doesn't give it, or fling it, all away then?'
'All the increase he gives away. He does not "heap up riches, not
knowing who shall gather them." '
'Hm!Has he nobody to come after him? I am told he has
children. I should think this arrangement,' indicating the park and
the roses by a vicious movement of his stick, 'would be very
open to abuse.'
'Yet you can see that it is not abused. This is the pleasure-ground
of the workers, where they rest, and keep well, and _get_ well.
Where they learn to forget drinking saloons, and to do without low
excitements. We have fine band music here every evening in
summer, which is a great attraction. The park is kept in order, as
you see; the work is given by preference to mill peopletoo old or
too young for the steady mill labour. And any child may have his
own plot of flowers, _if_ he will give it good care. If you enjoy such
things, sir,' the young man went on with a glance at his companion,
'it will be worth your while to come here next week to the mill
fruit and flower show, and see Mrs. Rollo give out the prizes.'
'Does _she_ come here often?' the old gentleman asked in a stifled
kind of voice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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