The House of the Seven Gables

oden fences, and partly by the outbuildings of houses that stood on another street. In its centre was a grass-plat, surrounding a ruinous little structure, which showed just enough of its original

ed or looked sideways, with a dark sol

ly and systematically on the garden. The white double rose-bush had evidently been propped up anew against the house since the commencement of the season; and a pear-tree and three damson-trees, which, except a row of currant-bushes, constituted the only varieties of fruit, bore marks of the recent amputation of several superfluous or defective limbs. There were also a few species of antique and hereditary flowers, in no very flourishing condition, but scrupulously weeded; as if some person, either out of love or curiosity, had been anxious to bring the

zibah's, who had no taste nor spirits for the lady-like employment of cultivating flowers, and - with her recluse habits, and tendency to shelter herself w

, in spite of whatever man could do to render it his own. This was a fountain, set round with a rim of old mossy stones, and paved, in its bed, with what appeared to be a sort of mosaic-work of variously colored pebbles. The play and slight agitation of the water, in its upward gush, wrought magically with these variegated pebbles, and made a continually shifting apparition of quaint figures, vanishing too suddenly to be definable. Thence, swelling over the rim of moss-grown stones, the water stole away under the fence, through what we regret to call a gutter, rather than a channel. Nor must we forget to mention a hen-coop of very reverend antiquity that stood in the farther corner of the garden, not a great way from the fountain. It now contained only Chanticleer, his two wives, and a solitary chicken. All of them were pure specimens of a breed which had been transmitted down as an heirloom in the Pyncheon family, and were said, while in their prime, to have attained almost the size of turkeys, and, on the score of delicate flesh, to be fit for a prince's table. In proof of the authenticity of this legendary renown, Hepzibah could have exhibited the shell

her feet; while Chanticleer and the ladies of his household regarded her with queer, sidelong glances, and then croaked one to another, as if communicating their sage opinions of her character. So wise, as well as antique, was their aspect, as to give color to the idea, not merely that they were the descend

en!" said Phoebe; "here are

er - possessing, indeed, the whole antiquity of its progenitors in miniature

ou a high compliment!" s

ing out of another gable than that whence she had emerged. He held a hoe in his hand, and, while Phoebe was gon

ges in the coop, too, seem very affably disposed. You are lucky to be in their good graces so soon! They have known me much longer, but never honor me with any familiarity, though har

iling, "that I have learned how

d scorn to understand the vulgar language of a barn-yard fowl. I prefer to think - and

cquaintance could be no other than the daguerreotypist, of whose lawless propensities the old maid had given

ed here. I turn up the earth by way of pastime. My sober occupation, so far as I have any, is with a lighter material. In short, I make pictures out of sunshine; and, not to be too much dazzled with my

ang forward to meet his. "I don't much like pictures of that sort - they are so hard and stern; besides dodging away from the

son, I fancy, is, because the originals are so. There is a wonderful insight in Heaven's broad and simple sunshine. While we give it credit only for depicting the merest surface, it actually brings out the secret character with a truth that no painter would ever venture upon, even could he de

ture in a morocco case. Phoebe mer

nder in the parlor. To be sure, you have found some way of copying the portrait without its black velvet cap and gray beard, an

timate friends - an exceedingly pleasant countenance, indicative of benevolence, openness of heart, sunny good-humor, and other praiseworthy qualities of that cast. The sun, as you see, tells quite another story, and will not be coaxed out of it, after half a dozen patient attempts on my part. Here we have the man, sly, subtl

ly very like the old portrait. But my cousin Hepzibah has another picture - a miniature. If the

h an expression of much interest. "I never did, but have a gr

" said Phoebe. "It is almost to

did also the quiet freedom with which he presumed on their so recent acquaintance. "Is there nothing

which you have never seen. You mistake it for some other. A crime, indeed! Since y

character, we need not discuss its points; they have already been settled by a competent tribunal, or one

er observation, its feature seemed rather to be lack of ceremony than any approach to offensive rudeness. There was an odd kind of authority,

l soon feel the need of some such out-of-door employment. My own sphere does not so much lie among flowers. You can trim and tend them, therefore, as you please; and I will ask only the least trifle o

approaching to familiarity. She did not altogether like him. His character perplexed the little country-girl, as it might a more practised observer; for, while the tone of his conversation had generally been playful, the impression left on

the shadows of the fruit-trees and the surroundi

hose rosebuds in your hair, and come to my rooms in Central Street, I will seize the purest ray of sunshine, and make a picture of the flower and its wearer." He retired towards his

le's well!" said he. "Neither d

it with the rim of mossy stones? I have no

t, "because, like an old lady's c

she found the low-studded parlor so dim and dusky that her eyes could not penetrate the interior. She was indistinctly aware, however, that the gaunt figure of the old gentlewoman was

lamp, Cousin Hepz

ut put it on the table in the corner of the passage. My e

, at that moment, there was a certain rich depth and moisture, as if the words, commonplace as they were, had been steep

ered the girl. "These match

han an unshaped sound, such as would be the utterance of feeling and sympathy, rather than of the intellect. So vague was it, that its impression or echo in Phoebe

le outline mingled with the dusk, was now less imperfectly visible. In the remoter parts of the room,

ebe, "did you spea

!" replied

as a tremor in it, too, that - as all strong feeling is electric - partly communicated itself to Phoebe. The girl sat silently for a moment. But soon, her senses being very acute, she became conscious of an irregular respir

ng an indefinable reluctance, "is the

hile, and collect my thoughts. It has been my custom for more years, child, than you have lived!" While thus dismissing her, the maiden lady stept forward, kissed Phoebe, and pressed her to her he

angely affected by Hepzibah's manner.

of a dream, she was conscious of a footstep mounting the stairs heavily, but not with force and decision. The voice of Hepzibah, with a hush through it, was going up along