All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

ALL IX A GARDEX I'AIR. 53
century the great forest was a safe, commodious,
and convenient rendezvous for those gentlemen
of tlie road who took the eastern circuit.
Wlieu tliis profession decayed, tlie forest was
deserted indeed, save for tlie chpping, picking,
and stealing all round its edge. Thirty years
ago they resolved on destroying it altogether
in fact, they did destroy an enormous shee of
it—the larger slice : they converted miles of
wild forest, with rough uplands and green dales,
covered witli grand old trees, into a treeless
tract, staked out in square fields and rectangular
roads. Then they wagged their stupid heads
and rubbed tocjether their ridiculous hands and
said it was a great improvement.
Yet not all ; there remains a glorious frag-
ment, so large as to be still called the Forest.
And this place was the playground of the
children of whom we write.
When Claire first began to run about with
the boys I know not ; the custom grew up by
degrees ; its origin is pre-historic ; she was a
very little girl at the time, and it continued till
: