FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   >>  
ay out all his little savings, as well as what Willie could add, on getting a kitchen and a few convenient rooms constructed in the ruins--of course keeping as much as possible to their plan and architectural character. He found, however, that it would want a good deal more than they could manage to scrape together between them, and was on the point of giving up the scheme, or at least altering it for one that would have been much longer in making them any return, when Mr Shepherd, who had become acquainted with their plans, and consequently with their difficulties, offered to join them with the little he had laid aside for a rainy day--which proved just sufficient to complete the sum necessary. Between the three the thing was effected, and Mr Yellowley was their first visitor. I am sorry to say he grumbled a good deal at first at the proximity of the cobbler, and at having to meet him in his walks about the garden; but this was a point on which Mr MacMichael, who of course took the old man's complaints good-humouredly, would not budge, and he had to reconcile himself to it as he best might. Nor was it very difficult after he found he must. Before long they became excellent friends, for if you will only give time and opportunity, in an ordinarily good man nature will overcome in the end. Mr Yellowley was at heart good-natured, and the cobbler was well worth knowing. Before the former left, the two were often to be seen pacing the garden together, and talking happily. It is quite unnecessary to recount all the gradations of growth by which room after room arose from the ruins of the Priory. When Mr Yellowley went away, after nearly six months' sojourn, during the latter part of which, so wonderfully was he restored by the air and the water and the medical care of Mr MacMichael, he enjoyed a little shooting on the hills, he paid him a hundred and fifty pounds for accommodation and medical attendance--no great sum, as money goes now-a-days, but a good return in six months for the outlay of a thousand pounds. This they laid by to accumulate for the next addition. And the Priory, having once taken to growing, went on with it. They cleared away mound after mound from the garden, turning them once more into solid walls, for they were formed mainly of excellent stones, which had just been waiting to be put up again. The only evil consequence was that the garden became a little less picturesque by their removal, although, on
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   >>  



Top keywords:
garden
 

Yellowley

 

medical

 

cobbler

 

MacMichael

 
pounds
 
Priory
 

return

 
months
 

Before


excellent

 

sojourn

 
knowing
 

natured

 
pacing
 

recount

 
gradations
 
growth
 

removal

 

unnecessary


talking

 

happily

 

enjoyed

 

growing

 

addition

 

thousand

 

consequence

 

accumulate

 

stones

 

formed


waiting

 
cleared
 

turning

 

outlay

 

shooting

 
wonderfully
 

restored

 
hundred
 

picturesque

 
accommodation

attendance
 

overcome

 
longer
 
making
 

altering

 

giving

 
scheme
 

difficulties

 
offered
 

Shepherd