She smiled, in spite of herself, as she followed the pleasant paths, and heard the birds singing their summer songs over her head.
Wandering among the trees, which occupied a considerable extent of ground, she passed into an open space beyond, and discovered an old fish-pond, overgrown by aquatic plants.

Driblets of water trickled from a dilapidated fountain in the middle.

On the further side of the pond the ground sloped downward toward the south, and revealed, over a low paling, a pretty view of a village and its church, backed by fir woods mounting the heathy sides of a range of hills beyond.

A fanciful little wooden building, imitating the form of a Swiss cottage, was placed so as to command the prospect.

Near it, in the shadow of the building, stood a rustic chair and table--with a color-box on one, and a portfolio on the other.