CHAPTER XXX. TIFF'S GARDEN.

titpretendedtocomewithme,"saidNina,asshelookedround"buthelaggedbehindbythebrooktogetsomeofthosegreengrapes,andIsuspectit'sthelastIshallseeofhim.So,Tiff,ifyoupleasetotieSylphineintheshade,I'llgointoseeMissFanny." AndNinatrippedlightlyupthewalk,nowborderedoneithersidebychinaastersandmarigolds,towhereFannywasstandingbashfullyinthedoorwaitingforher.Inherownnativewoodsthischildwasoneoftheboldest,freest,andhappiestofromps.Therewasscarceaneligibletreewhichshecouldnotclimb,orathicketshehadnotexplored.Shewasfamiliarwitheveryflower,everybird,everybutterfly,ofthevicinity.Sheknewpreciselywheneverykindoffruitwouldripen,andflowerwouldblossomandwassoaufaitinthelanguageofbirdsandsquirrels,thatshemightalmosthavebeenconsideredoneofthefraternity.Heronlycompanionandattendant,OldTiff,hadthatquaint,fanciful,grotesquenaturewhichisthefurthestpossibleremovedfromvulgarityandhisfrequentlecturesonproprietiesandconventionalities,hislongandprolixnarrationsofherancestralgloriesanddistinctions,hadsucceededininfusingintoherasortofchildishconsciousnessofdignity,whileatthesametimeitinspiredherwithabashfulaweofthosewhomshesawsurroundedwiththeactualinsigniaandcircumstancesofpositionandfortune.Afterall,Tiff'smethodofeducation,instinctiveasitwas,washighlyphilosophical,sinceacertaindegreeofself-respectisthenurseofmanyvirtues,andashieldfrommanytemptations.Thereisalsosomething,perhaps,intheinfluenceofdescent.Fannycertainlyinheritedfromhermotheramoredelicateorganizationthangenerallyattendsherapparentstationinlife.Shehad,also,whatperhapsbelongstothesex,acapabilityofreceivingthemysteriesandproprietiesofdressandNina,asshestoodonthethresholdofthesinglelowroom,couldnotbutbestruckwiththegeneralairofrefinementwhichcharacterizedbothitanditslittlemistress.Therewereflowersfromtheswampsandhedgesarrangedwithcareandtastefeathersofbirds,stringsofeggsofdifferentcolor,driedgrasses,andvariouslittlewoodlandcuriosities,whichshowedatasterefinedbydailyintercoursewithnature.Fannyherselfwasarrayedinaveryprettyprintdress,whichherfatherhadbroughthomeinarecentvisit,withacapeofwhitemuslin.Herbrownhairwasbrushedsmoothlyfromherforehead,andherclearblueeyes,andfair,rosycomplexion,gaveherapleasingairofintelligenceandrefinement. "Thankyou,"saidNina,asFannyofferedhertheonlychairtheestablishmentafforded"butI'mgoingwithTiffoutinthegarden.Inevercanbeartobeinthehousesuchdaysasthis.Youdidn'texpectmeoversoearly,UncleTiffbutItookanotableturn,thismorning,androutedthemuptoanearlybreakfast,onpurposethatImighthavetimetogetoverherebeforetheheatcameon.It'spleasantouthere,nowtheshadowofthewoodsfallsacrossthegardenso.Howbeautifullythosetreeswave!Tiff,goonwithyourwork—nevermindme." "Yes,MissNina,it'smightypleasant.Why,Iwasoutindisyergardenatfouro'clockdismorning,and'pearedlikedeseyertreeswaswavinglikeapsalm,sosorto'still,youknow!Kindo'spreadingoutderhandslikedey'dhaveprayersandderewasamightyhandsomestaralookingdown.Ispectsdatarstarisoneofdeveryoldestfamiliesupdar." "Mostlikely,"saidNina,cheerily."TheycallitVenus,thestaroflove,UncleTiffandIbelievethatisaveryoldfamily." "Loveisamightygoodting,anyhow,"saidTiff."Lordbressyou,MissNina,itmakeseverytinggokindo'easy.Sometimes,whenI'mstuddingupondeseyertings,Isaystomyself,'pearslikedetreesindewood,deyloveseachoder.Deystandskindo'lockingarmsso,anddeykindo'nodderheads,andwhispersso!'Pearslikedegrape-vines,anddebirds,andalldemartings,deylivescomfortabletogeder,likedeywaspeaceable,andlikedeachoder.Now,folksisapttogetastewin'andafrettin'round,andturningupdernosesatdisyerting,anddatarbut'pearslikedeLord'sworkstakeseverytingmightyeasy.Deyjustkindo'livesalongpeaceable.Itinkit'smighty'structive!" "Certainlyitis,"saidNina."OldMotherNatureisanexcellentmanager,andalwaysgoesonmakingthebestofeverything." "Dere'sheapsdonedatarway,andnonoise,"saidTiff."Why,MissNina,Istudiesupondatarouthereinmygarden.Why,lookatdatarcorn,wayupoveryourhead,now!Alldatargroweddisyersummer.Nonoise'boutit—'pearslikenobodycouldn'tseewhen'twasdone.Deyweretellingusincamp-meetinghowdeLordcreateddeheavenanddeearth.Now,MissNina,Tiffhashisownthoughts,youknowandTiffsays,'pearslikedeLordiscreatingdeheavenanddeearthalldetime.'PearslikeyoucanseeHimadoingofitrightaforeyourfaceanddemgrowingtingsaresocurus!MissNina,'pearsforalldeworldlikeasifdeywascritters!'Pearslikeeachof'emhasderownway,andwon'tgonooder!Deseyerbeans,deywillcomeupsocurusrighttopo'destalksdeywillturnrounddepoleoneway,and,ifyouwastotie'em,youcouldn'tmak