“Notwithstanding her declarations about the lack of attention which her garden had been subjected to, I was filled with delicious pleasure at the beautiful prospect before me. The air was loaded with ravishing odors arising from different kinds of fragrant flowers. A new fountain, with a bronze statue of Diana standing in the center, had been lately put up near the summer-house. The goddess held her bow and arrow in her hand, while a jet of sparkling water came gushing out from the end of the arrow, and fell into a large marble basin at her feet. A marble Cupid stood on the south side of the basin, holding a gilded dart pointed toward a statue of Venus, as she appears rising up out of the water. Innumerable green turfy walks meandered about among the charming flowers, while hundreds of beautiful vases in china and gold, red, blue and green, lined each side, filled with all kinds of sweet-scented plants. I was so completely intoxicated by the charming sweetness with which the murmuring breeze was impregnated by fragrant flowers, that I could scarcely keep from giving expression to my delightful feelings in shouts of joy. As I stood gazing intently at Lottie as she moved about among the flowers like a beautiful fairy, I lifted up my soul in humble thanks to God, for giving me the heart of such a noble woman.
“‘Why do you stand there all the day idle, Eddie, when there is so much work to do? why do you not come and help me transplant these flowers?’
“Those questions had the effect of rousing me from my delightful reverie, and I went to work in good earnest and did not stop until the perspiration began to stream from my brow.
“‘There now, Edward, the job is complete, and we will rest under the shade of the magnolias—I am going to give you a nice picnic dinner to-day, to compensate you for assisting me.’
“Then addressing Uncle Zack she said:
“‘Tell Burley to prepare a good dinner for two, and that we will dine in the magnolia grove to-day; send us a small table here, and tell her to be in a hurry, for industrious people are always hungry.
“‘Now, Edward, here is a nice seat for you, and here is one for me,—now we will rest from our labors and have a cozy chat about old times, unless you have got something new to talk about.’ Then for the first time since my arrival at the garden, the memory of the mysterious warnings I had received rose up like Banquo’s ghost before me. ‘What is the matter with you, Edward; are you not well? I declare, your face is very pale!’
“‘I must have exerted myself a little too much while working among the flowers. I guess a little rest in this delightful shade will soon effect a cure.’
“‘See here, Edward,’ she exclaimed, as she fixed her beautiful eyes on me, ‘you are attempting to do that which you ought to know you cannot accomplish.’
“‘How is that?’