The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-06-18

: not sense enough to keep it, for he hi
gone on the loose for a fortnight, whit
was more than his master could stand, an
he was. discharged <sThis Wor afore We
terdaY,n he said, .sald I've drank for val
vexation ever sin, tramping as dram
and 50, wi q dry nlath, an Wi,ont 'ol
penny i my pocket I am here. Doest
think p he continued, sstha can raise
penny or tippence amang this company :?
i gave him 4 trifie; others did the same
and so, having raised the wind, = he cal
ed for bread, cheese, and ale, and made
good meal.
During the time the gardener had bee
talking to me, the landlord had been heal
ing; so, accosting the old man while II
was eating his dinner, he said:
''You are a gardener I understand ?''
II am,' was the reply.
"WeIl, said the landlord, 81 have
garden which needs feeling. have no
time to attend to it myself, and as it i
/ time the seed was in, I'll employ you i
I eyous:lre willing. I'll find you plenty t,
eat and drink; you can have a bed too
and, if you please me, sI'll not see, yot
leave without few shillings in you
pocket. What say you?"
II say agreed replied the gardener
rising to his feet and grasping the land
| lords hand, 'tI'll not begin to-morn, how.
ever Bit I'll look reand am get riddy fo
Monday morn.
This proposal was satisfactory; where
| fore the gardener was made happy.
/ Shortly afterward We had an addition tt
our company by the incoming of the ole
bird-stuf1cr, whom I Shall hcncefortll cal
itllc naturalist Gas this designation was tht
one which pleased him) ,-his son, the but
terily-fecder and two other men whom
had not seen. These---thc strangers-frst
looked hard at the company; but the nat
,lralist, giving them a significant nod,
which seemed to say CAN right" they
settled down, and called for d 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, compelled me
still to hide under cover, so, placing my
chair i'll a corner, and putting my head
against the wall, tried to get nap also.
The naturalist and his companions were
now the only persons i'll the room besides
the gardener and myself.
| cannot tell half nor quarter of what
was said by the four persons; nor did I
understand some of the phrases they used.
"Bruce' and ''Wonder," 'tnax' and
'Sstlltiing,'i were words often employed
by them. | recollected that 'Bruce" was
the name of the dog, and 'Wonder'' that
of the lamb, in the museum before spo-
ken of; and tIlesothef terms, I judged, re-
fcrred to the materials with which they
were stuffed; but could not see why they
should speak in SO low a tone as they did
when they spoke of them. Once or twice
t e. spoke of Il bird by some slang phrase.
But aftar-cvcnts made this plain enough.
By-and-by the weather cleared up, and
the men draining their glasses, got up and
went away. The momentshey We're gone
the gardener reused up, and taking Il
book out of his pocket, be-
ran to write therein. He then asked me
if knew who the men were, and what
their occupation, and if | understood any
of the words uttered in the lower tone of
voice. | gave what information I could.
But" said, t'both they and | believed
you were asleep"
at is wei to 90 into dreamand at
times,' he said; and thenadded, did you
say that the old man keeps Il museum:
Have you seen it? Do you think I could
get Il look ut it,"
The questions were put. one after the
other in quick succession, as though he
was eager and anxious about something.
said yes to each; but | was surprised
at the good English i'll which he now
spoke, and the refinement which marked
his manners. still could make nothing
Of it.
| pass over the next few days, us they
brought forth no remarkable incident. The
gardener stuck to his contract with the
landlord, and [ had been enabled to get on
with nay works The four men did not
again visit lis; but as went OH with my
| saw first one and then another
Of them pass my place. And once saw
them all i'll earnest lconverse in q retired
lane.
After supper, one night, | took the gar
dener to the barn-like llabitation of the old
naturalist. As we went along he asked
me to tike particular noticesof the dog and
lamb. s'For,'' he said, 81 was struck with
the questions one of the men put us to
Oh 1Wonder' could take
in any more cotton or flax. And it is
Just possible" he continued, 'stil;it he has
a way of taking out and putting in stuifing
after the skin has become set and hard-a
thing worth knowing, / should think.
When we got TO the house, the old man
came to the door, closing it$aftel him. Be
inc, asked if lie would allow the gardener
to look over his collection of preserved am
imals, he at first seemed perplexed, and
saying. VII II asknyson, he went IN le;y-
ing us outside, Shortly he returned and
said, ssIt is not convenient TO enter the
room tonight, rs il is being cleaned and
the contents rearlytnged; but if your friend
will come tomorrow night, and come
alone, lie shall see over it.
we agreed, and came away I was at q
loss to ac :ou1t fer the condition imposed,
but my conlpanion was set with the ar
Next night came, and the gardener set
off on his errand. i WAS all npttienee
for his return. But when he came back
unwilling to relate tile result Of
his adventure, simply saying:
4 II m. i'll no Ialnloi1 for talk tonight: | ii
relate what I've seen and said Tomorrow
night
MY1fiiend had cotton we'll with his gar
dening. His potatoes and onions, his tur-
nips ana carrots had been got IN, and II
was clear that if the next two days should
prove fine he would finish the job by Sat
urday night.
OnsFrielaY night he came to me IN the
kitchen, in Il corner of which was read
ing, and asked me to take Y short walk
With him, got up and went. We walk
ed in the direction of the museum, He.
asked me if could keep q secret for a day
or two. answered il the Affirmative.
He then told me tllat he had strong s',s-
nic'on that the old naturalist and bis son