The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-31

/ OSOdo1OnCo NY JnCSO IOUD6Il6S W6I
great and widespread.
Two patches of detectives, one from
Lancaster and the other from Kendall
came to our village to see what the,
could find out. They were not short o
questions, mind; but they took car
what sort of questions they answered
1t was easy to see that one of thei
aims was to make it appear that the,
believed the robbers came from a dis
lance, in order to put the thieves OF
their guard, for their own opinion wa
the opposite of this.
No event, however serious, can keel
hold of peoples minds beyond a Ger
tain time; and these robberies were be
ginning tie give place to some othel
subject, when the next act in the drams
began to be played. 1t was on a Fri
day afternoon, about month after the
robberies. The day was wet and wild
and as my work was the outdoor carv'
ing of stones which had been placed in
position in the rough, was unable tc
go on with it, and so had to return to
my quarters. 1 had got my dinner,
and had just called for pint of ale
with my pipe, when an elderly ill
dressed man came in, and sitting down
on bench beside me, said, in broad
Lancashire accent, "I'll sup wi tina
lad, if tina 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 gentleman's gardener, near Lam
caster, over twenty years; had a capital
place, but had not had sense enough to
keep it, for he had gone on the loose
for fortnight, which was more than
his master would put up with; so he
was discharged. ''This wor day afore
yesterday" he said; "an' I've drank
for vary vexation ever sim, trampin' as
l drank; an so here am, VII a dry
math an wi'out a 'opennyi' my pocket.
Doesta think" he concluded, saw con
raise a penny or tippence amang tn
company"
gave him trife; others did the
same; so having thus "raised the
wind" he called for bread, cheese an d
ale and made a 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 din
ner, he said: "You are q gardener, l
understands"
81 am" was the reply.
Well" said the landlord, GIVE a
garden which needs fettling. l have
not time to attend to it 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
a bed as well; and if you please me,
I'll not see you leave without few
shillings in your pocket. What say
youP"
81 say agreed" replied the gardener,
rising to his feet and grasping the land
lords hand. "rll not begin to-morn,
howiver; but I'll look rand an get
riddy for Monday morn"
This proposal was satisfactory,
wherefore the gardener was made
happy.
Shortly afterward we had an addi-
ton to our company by the incoming
Of the Ola p1rd-suuner, wnoin ol,~d
henceforth call the naturalist Gas this
designation was the one which pleased
him), his son the butterfy-breeder,
and two other men whom l had not yet
seen. These-the strangers-irst
looked hard at the company; but the
naturalist, giving them significant
nod, which Seemed to say: "All right"
they settled down and called Tor glass
of rum apiece.
By this time the gardener had fin
ished 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 abide I'M
der cover; so, placing my chair in a
corner, and putting my head against
the wall, tried to get a nap also. The
naturalist and his companions were
now the only persons in the room be-
sides the gardener and me.
can not tell half nor quarter of what
was said by first one and then another
of the four persons; nor did [ under
stand some of the phrases which they
used. "Bruce" and I" Wonder" flax"
and " stuffing," were words often en-
ployed by them. l recollected that
Is Bruce" was the name of the dog, and
Wonder that of the lamb, in the
museum before spoken of; and the
other terms, l judged, referred to the
materials with which they were stuffed;
but could not see why they should
speak in so low 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.
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 q memorandum book out of his
pocket, and began to write therein. He
then asked me if l knew who the men
were, and what was their occupation,
and if understood any of the words
they had uttered IN the lower tone Of
voice. 1 gave him what information ]
could. But" said, "both they and
l believed you were asleep"
alt is well to go into dream-land al
times" he said; and then added: "DiC
you say that the old man keeps a mu
seumP Have you seen it? DO you thinl