The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-01-27

came to our village to see what they
could find out. The we're not short of
questions, mind, but they took care
what sort of questions they answered
1t was easy to see that one of their aims
was to make 1t appear that they believed
the robbers came from a distance, In or
der to put the thieves Off their guard,
for their own opinion was the opposite
of this.
No event, however serious, can keep
hold of peoples minds beyond certain
time; and these robberies were begin
ming to give place to some other subject,
when the next act in the drama began to
be played. 1t was on Friday after
noon, about month after the robberies.
The day was wet and wild; and as my
work was the outdoor carving of stones
which had been placed in position in the
rough was unable to go on with it, and
80 had to return TO my quarters. j had
got my dinner, and had just called for a
pint of ale, with my pipe, when an ell
derly, addressed man came ia, and sit
ting down on bench beside me, said in
broad Lancashire accent: ell sup we
tha lad, If tha dosen'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 gentleman's gardener, near Lam
caster, over twenty years; had capital
place, but had not had sense enough to
keep it, which was more than his mas
ter would put up with; so he was dis
charged.
"This wor day afore yesterday" he
said ian" I've drank for very vexation
ever sim, trampin" as drank; an so
here am wi dry math an wi'out a.
apenny j my poket. Doesta think" he
concluded, "a con raise penny or tip
yence among tn company"
gave him trfe; others did the
same; so having thus raised the wind"
he at once 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, under
stand?"
81 am" was the reply.
SWELL" said the landlord, ''I've gar
den which needs fettling. l have not
time to attend to 1t myself; and as it is
time the seed was in, I'll employ you if
you are willing. I'll find you plenty to
eat and drink; you can have bed as
well; and if you please me, I'll not see
you leave without few shillings in your
pocket What say your"
81 say agreed" replied the gardener,
rising to his feet and grasping the land
lords hand. "I'll not begin tomorn,
howiver; but I'll look rand, an get riddy
for Monday MORN"
| This proposal was satisfactory, where
fore the gaidener was made happy.
Shortly afterward we had an addition
TO our company by the incoming of the
old brd-stuffer, whom shall henceforth
call the naturalist-as this designation
was the one which pleased him-his son,
the butterfly breeder, and two other men
whom / had not yet seen. These--the
strangers-firs looked hard at the COM
pany but the naturalist, giving them a
significant nod, which seemed to say
"All's right" they settled down and
called fora 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
PEELED me to still abide under cover; so,
placing my chair in corner and putting
my head against the wall, L tried to get
nap also. The naturalist and his COM
panions were now the only persons in
the room besides the gardener and me-
cannot tell half nor quarter of what
was said by first one and then another
of the four persons; nor did understand
some of the phrases which they used
Bruce" and Wonder" flax" and
"stuffing" were words often employed
by them. T. recollected that Bruce"
was the name of the dog, and " Wonder"
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 j 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 bird by
some slang phrase. But after events
made this clear enough.
Nv ond hx, tl,o xyaathau tooly ~, ,,,l,o,