AN INTERVIEW WITH THE "FAIRIES."
Fern Fenwick rose from her seat saying: "As it is near sunset, Mr.
Flagg, I have something to show you in the way of a surprise, which I
wish you to see before it becomes too dark: after having seen it you
will better understand why this house was named 'Fairy Fern Cottage.'
Therefore I propose that we now adjourn to the cool shade of the grounds
at the rear of the cottage, postponing the recital of the remainder of
my story until this evening."
"I shall be delighted to follow you," said Fillmore Flagg. "You have
excited my curiosity; I am just in the mood to learn all I can about
this lovely cottage and its beautiful surroundings."
As they reached the shady lawn, so cool and sweet from its recent
sprinkling, Fillmore Flagg observed that a wide, straight avenue, shaded
by towering oaks and widely branching elms, led from the rear porch of
the cottage to the broad front of the roomy stone stables, some two
hundred and fifty feet distant. In the center of this avenue, with a
finely graveled carriage drive on either side, rose a long line of huge
stone arches, ten in number. These imposing structures of solid masonry
were full thirty feet high, spreading to a width of thirty feet at the
base. The two center arches were each twenty feet thick; the others, ten
feet each. The open space between the arches was uniformly ten feet; the
open circle under each arch was twenty feet in diameter. The vista
formed by the spaces and arches together, was over two hundred feet in
length. From the farther arch to the front of the stables lay thirty
feet of smooth, clean gravel which covered, at this point, the full
width of the avenue, seventy-five feet, forming the open court, around
which was built the stables and the two tastefully designed stone
buildings on either side--one, beautifully fitted up for the residence
of the superintendent, the other containing the heating and pumping
apparatus and the electric generator. The two wide center arches
supported the huge metal tank which held the ample water supply of both
cottage and outbuildings. Evidently, they were admirably adapted to that
particular purpose. The rough stone work of the outside of all the
arches was artistically covered and beautified by a luxuriant growth of
intermingled ivy and cinnamon vine, which gave a still deeper shade to
the interior. To the beholder, the exterior effect of the vines on the
long line of arches was as beautifully romantic as if it really were one
of those old Abbeys in picturesque ruin, so charmingly described by Sir
Walter Scott. Deep grooves in the stone work, with light iron frames
fastened near the outer edges of the arches, gave support during the
cold weather to a roof of double glass, which covered all the open
spaces between the arches, converting the whole into one vast
greenhouse, through which passed the system of heating pipes from the
furnace room to the cottage, thus providing a roomy winter home for an
army of tropical plants and shrubs and at the same time protecting the
water supply from the ill effects of all frost. A screen of interlacing
vines, in place of the glass roof, now served to make the shade of the
archway almost complete.
Having sufficiently examined the exterior and becoming to some extent
familiar with the general plan and purpose of these unique arches,
Fillmore Flagg and Fern Fenwick returned to the covered entrance from
the kitchen porch. Here, as they were standing a few feet above the
ground, they had an unobstructed view of the interior of the archway.
Through the center, where the lower disc of the open circles touched the
ground, ran a deep bed of coarse gravel, covered with a thick layer of
smooth round pebbles, forming a perfectly drained pathway about three
feet in width which extended uniformly from one end of the archway to
the other. Conforming to the contour of the arches, rising and receding
in unison, this pathway was bordered on either side by what appeared to
be a continuous terrace of three stone benches, each one foot high and
of the same width. These benches really were very heavy square terra
cotta pipes, ingeniously cemented together with telescopic joints, and
having thick, grooved covers which formed the protecting conduits for
the wires of the lighting system and the pipes of the irrigating and
heating apparatus.
Artistically arranged on these benches, in pots that were beautifully
modeled, colored and glazed, was a wonderful collection of choice ferns,
embracing all of the known varieties in prodigal profusion. The pots
were so arranged that the smaller varieties occupied the lower benches,
with the larger ones in gradually increasing sizes on the higher benches
farther back. Viewed from either end of the archway they formed two
matchless banks of the rarest verdure and the loveliest foliage
the world ever saw. Everywhere the eye was delighted by great
masses of drooping fronds of delicate green, like rare lace in
fineness--outrivaling in beauty the plumes of the famous birds of
paradise.
"This is simply superb!" exclaimed Fillmore Flagg. "I never saw anything
one half so lovely! Shall we walk through now?"
"Wait a moment, Mr. Flagg," said Fern Fenwick. "The twilight shadows are
so deep you have, as yet, caught only a glimpse of the rare beauty of my
lovely ferns." Stepping quickly to the right side of the first arch, she
pressed a button and lo! those wonderful banks of ferns, and all the
space of the archway, was flooded with a glory of soft, clear light. A
thousand tiny bulbs, in a lovely variety of flower and fern leaf
patterns, gleamed and glowed from beneath the ferny banks or hung
pendant, rainbow like, from the roof of this rock ribbed archway.
Held spellbound for some moments by his surprise, admiration and
delight, Fillmore Flagg murmured softly, almost in a whisper: "Can
anything surpass this vision of perfect beauty?"
"Yes," said Fern Fenwick, radiant and smiling, "I think it can be
surpassed, but we must allow the enchantress to use her magic once more,
by giving my darling ferns their bath of beauty. Then you shall see them
in their diamond robes."
Saying this, she pressed another button. A thousand tiny pipes,
concealed in the ribs of the stone roof, gave forth a shower of fine
spray, filling the long fernery with a hazy mist of cobweb fineness.
Very soon millions of globules of moisture gathered on leaf, stock,
frond, plume and tiny tip of every leaflet, reflecting each ray of light
with diamond-like brilliancy. Pressing another button to shut off the
spray, Fern Fenwick said:
"Now, Mr. Flagg, my ferns have donned their royal robes and are ready
for your tour of admiring inspection. I assure you they are worthy of
it. As a choice collection of ferns in such perfect condition, its equal
cannot be found in all the wide world! As a collector I am an
enthusiast; for many months I have travelled far and wide in my efforts
to add new specimens of rare beauty to the original collection. You may
guess how much I prize it when I tell you that money could not buy it."
"You are surely a most wonderful enchantress," replied Fillmore Flagg.
"I feel that under the potent spell of your magical wand, I have entered
the inner mysteries of some glorious temple of ferns, in a world of
enchantment! I am so fascinated and dazzled by this marvellous display
of brilliancy and beauty, that I am moved to pay homage to you, Miss
Fenwick, as a fitting tribute of loyal devotion to Fern, the Fairy Queen
of this fair temple."
As he finished his gallant speech, the deep tones of emotion vibrating
in the full rich voice of Fillmore Flagg, and the look of intense
admiration which shone so eloquently from his eyes, brought a flush of
color to the fair face of Fern Fenwick and warned her that it was time
to be moving. Skillfully keeping up the personification, she quickly
said:
"Mr. Flagg, I am delighted on behalf of the fairies to express thanks
for the glowing tribute to their Queen which you have so beautifully
voiced. Let us now walk through to the end of the fernery and return. As
we pass along I will point out my favorite plants."
Only a few steps had been taken when Fillmore Flagg paused, listening
and looking about him in all directions, with a very puzzled expression.
A delightfully cool breeze was fanning their faces: this breeze was
laden with some strangely sweet perfume both soothing and stimulating to
the senses. The air all about them seemed to vibrate with the distant
melody of some angelic music, now sinking, now swelling in perfect
harmony; so soft, so clear, so bright, so inspiring in its wealth of
tone and joyous movement.
"Ah! Miss Fenwick," said Fillmore Flagg, "my senses are all entranced!
Your wonderful fairies in this grotto of magic are at this moment
thrilling my being with sensations of the most intense delight! How can
the Fairy Queen explain? What has she been doing with her magical wand
to produce such delicious perfume; such entrancing music?"
Fern's merry laugh rang out musically clear, and her eyes sparkled
roguishly as she replied: "I assure you Mr. Flagg, that in this instance
the fairies are not responsible. The explanation is quite simple but
rather long. Therefore let us move forward while I give you the details:
As we were stepping down on this graveled walk, I turned the switch and
started the ventilating fans, at the same time connecting the electric
current with a series of melophones located near the top of the arches.
Along the ventilating tubes, in a series of small compartments, are
sponges saturated with different kinds of perfume. These sponges can be
exposed to the air current or withdrawn at will, yielding a single
perfume or a blending of as many kinds as one may wish. The wonderful
variety of these choice blendings, which can be so easily produced,
affords a constant succession of sweet surprises. The melophones which
you hear, represent the highest achievement of art in the production of
automatic musical instruments. This set is the most complete and the
most expensive one in existence. In construction and final completion
they cost the inventor and maker three years of constant thought and
labor. The result is truly marvellous. The perfection of harmony and
purity of tone are convincing testimonials of their excellence. In
operation these instruments are placed in a very large double tube made
from a peculiar kind of metallic alloy recently discovered, which
affords the most perfect conditions for the conservation and
conductivity of all musical vibrations. They are capable of producing an
almost endless variety of choice music. The selection which we hear at
this time, is one which I have re-named 'The Carol of the Ferns.' Pardon
me, Mr. Flagg, if in my enthusiasm over the beauties of what you have so
poetically termed my 'magical temple of ferns,' some of my statements
should sound like boasting; I assure you they are not so intended. I
trust that now I have cleared up the mystery to your perfect
satisfaction."
"Charmingly," said Fillmore Flagg, "Nevertheless my fairyland illusions
still abide with me; I confess I am still under the spell of the great
happiness they have given to me--I shall never forget it. The truth in
this case proves even stranger than fiction; I quite agree with you that
in all the wide world there is nothing like this! It seems to me that
those extraordinary melophones yield the finest music I have ever heard.
In sweetness and purity of tone, softness and wealth of harmony, which
is pervaded by some electric quality of inspiration, so stirring, so
thrilling that every nerve and every cell in the body responds. They
stand unrivaled as the very acme of musical art. I now understand why
your lovely home here should be named 'Fairy Fern Cottage.' I fully
appreciate the significance of the title. This royal temple of ferns
makes the name most fittingly appropriate, and easily ranks this cottage
as the eighth wonder of the world! The fame of its rare beauty should be
known in every land. You ought to be very proud of it. I assure you,
Miss Fenwick, that you are abundantly justified in praising it
enthusiastically at all times, without fear of being considered
egotistical. But tell me, if I may be permitted to ask, who was the
wonderful genius who first conceived and planned the building of this
imposing line of arches? So useful, so ornamental, so unique, yet so
perfectly adapted as a summer and a winter home for your ferns and
flowers and, withal, offering such a perfect title to your unrivaled
cottage home."
"Thank you, Mr. Flagg, for that question. In my reply I am eager to pay
a deserved tribute to the dearest and noblest of men--my father.
Inspired by his love for me, his brilliant mind conceived the entire
plan and purpose of this curiously novel structure. He succeeded in
completing it and also in filling it with the original collection of
ferns, without my knowledge. On the morning of my fifteenth birthday,
he brought me here to bestow upon me this priceless gift. The surprise
was a perfect one. When he made me understand that he gave with it a
deed to the cottage and grounds, the surprise became so intense that it
fairly took my breath away. I was so overjoyed that by turns I laughed,
and cried, and hugged papa, until I came very near to having a genuine
fit of hysteria! At that time we changed the name of the house to Fairy
Fern Cottage. This is why I am so proud and so fond of my cottage home.
This is why I appreciate your praise of it so much--why I am so thankful
for it. I feel sure that you will now appreciate my sincerity when I
repeat that money could not buy it!"