Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-01-01


v was to make it appear that they believe
The robbers came from distance, in OF
der to put the thieves off their. guard
Tor their own opiniQn was the opposite Q
this. -
No event, however serious, can keel
hold OF peoples minds, beyond Ger
tain time and these robberies were be
ginningto give place to some other sub
Ject, when the next act in the dram;
began to be played. 1t was on a Fri
robberies. The day.was wet and wild
and as my work was the outdoor cary
ing of stones, which had been placed il
position in the rough, l was unable tt
go on with it, and SO had to return to
my quarters. l had got my dinner, ant
had just called for a pint Of ale with my
pipe, when an elderly addressed mar
came in, and sitting down on a bencf
beside me, said in broad Lancashire
accent, "11l sup wi tina lad, if tha
doesn't care;" on which he lifted my
mug to his lips, and drank freely.
had not got over my surprise when he,
wiping his mouth with his hand, gave
me history of the past day or two.
The account was this: he had been a
| ,
over twenty years; had capital place,
but had not had sense enough to keep
| it, for he had gone on the loose for a
| fortnight, which was more than his mas
ter could put up with; so he, was dis
charged. 'tThis wor day after yester-
day." he said; "an' I've drank for vary
yexation ever sim, trampin' as l drank !;
an SO here 1 am, wi dry math an
Vuif fr,rrf E 20
think" he concluded, Jaw con rise a
penny or tippence amang tn COM
panyP" h ...
1 gave him a trife; others did the
same; so having thus raised the wind, !"
he called for bread, cheese, and ale, and
made good meal. =.
During the time the gardener had
been talking to me, the landlord had
been within hearing. So accosting the
old man while he was eating his dinner,
he said, " You are gardener, i under
stand?'' y b
81 am," was the reply. Il
"Well," said the landlord, Give a
garden that needs fettling. have not
time to attend to it myself; and as it is
time the seed was in, I II employ you if
you are willing. III find you plenty to
eat and drink; you can have Il bed us
well and if you please me, I'll not see
you leave without a few shillngs in
your pocket. What say you?'
81 say agreed" replied the garden
er, rising to his feet and grasping the
landlords hand. ell not begin to-
morn, howiver; but I'll look rand, an
get riddy for Monday NORM
This proposal was satisfactory, where
fx,., 10 Il l.,
Shortly afterward we had an addition
to our company by the incoming of the
old bird-stuffer whom | shall hence
forth call the naturalist, as this designa-
ton was the one which pleased him, his
son the butterfy-breeder and two other
men whom | had not yet seen. These
the strangers-first looked hard at
the company; but the naturalist, giving
them significant nod, which seemed to
say, Calls right they settled down
and called for glass of rum apiece.
By this time the gardener had finished
his dinner, when, putting his arms on
the table and his head on his arms, he
fell, or seemed to fall, asleep, The rain,
which continued to come down, COM
placing my chair in corner, and put
ting my head against the wall, tried
to get nap also. The naturalist and
his companions were now the only per-
sons in the room besides the gardener
and me. ~
l can not tell half nor quarter of what
was said by first one and then another
of the four persons; nor did l understand
some of the phrases which they used. |
I" Bruce" and Wonder,'' =" flax - and
q nrr xxyav.o xxyorIS ~ffor ar,n1axoI
by them. recollected that "Bruce "
was the name of the dog, and "Won-
DER that of the lamb, in the museum
before spoken of; and the other terms,
I judged, referred to the materials with
which they were stuffed; but l could
not see why they should speak in so low
a tone as they did when they spoke of
them. Once or twice they referred to a
bird by some slang phrase. But after
events made this clear enough.
By-and-by the weather took up, when
the men, draining their glasses, got up |
and went away. The moment they were |
gone the gardener reused up, took
memorandum-book out of his pocket,
and began to write therein. He then |
asked me if I knew who the men were,
and what was there occupation, and if l
any of the words they had
uttered in the lower tone of voice. l
gave him what information / could. |
'sBut," l said, both they and be-
lieved you were asleep"
. alt is well to 90 into dream-land at
times" he said; and then added: ''Did
you say that the old man keeps mu-
seump Have you seen itP Do you think
1 Icould get look at itP''
The questions were put one after an
other in quick succession, as though he
where eager and anxious about some-
thing. / said Yes'' to each; but was
at the good English in which {
he now spoke, and at the refinement
which marked his manners. Still, /
could make nothing of it.
I pass over the next few days, as they
forth no remarkable incident.
The gardener had stuck to his contract
with the landlord, and l had been en-
sbled to get on with my work. The
our men did not again visit us; but as
went on with my carving, saw first
me and then another of them pass my
,lace. And once saw them all in earn
,st converse in a retired lane.
Alter supper one night | took the gar
lener to the barn-like habitation of the
I'D naturalist. AS he went along, he
asked me to. take particular notice of
,he dog and the lamb. For" said he,
. l was struck with one of thesquestions
,ne of the men put as to whether Bruce
md Wonder could take any more cot
on or flax And it is just possible"
le continued, ''that he has a way of tax
ng out and putting in the stufiing after
he skin has become set and hard: a thing
worth knowing, should think"
When we got to the house the old
nan came to the door, closing it after
him. Being asked if he would allow the
gardener to see over his collection of
animals, he at first seemed
,erplexed, and saying, f"I'll ask my
,on, he went in. leaving rs outside.
shortly he 9retnrned, and said, g 1t is
lot convenient TO enter the room to-
right, as it is being cleaned and the
,ontents re-arranged but If your friend
- 1