The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-01-29

90 on with it, and so had to return Il
my quarters. had got nay dinner
and had just called for a pint of al,
with my pipe. when an elderly il
dressed man came IN, and sitting dowY
on q bench beside me, said, in q broaG
Lancashire accent, "Pn sup wi tbs
lad, if tha doesn't care;' on which ht
lifted my mug to his lips, and dranl
freely. / had not got over my surprise
when he, wiping his mouth with hi.
hand, gave me q history of the past day
or two. The Account was this: he haC
been q gentleman's gardener, near Ian
caster, over twenty years; had a capita
place, but had not had sense enough tc
keep it, for he had gone on the loose
Tor fortnight, which was more thar
his master would put up with; SO he
was sdischarged. This wor day afore
Yesterday, he said; /" an I've drank
for vary vexation ever sim, trampin' as
/ drank; an so here am, wi a dry
math an vii out a 'openny i my pocket.
Doesta think" he concluded, /" aw con
raise a penny or tippence amang tn
company"
1 gave him a triHe; 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 . gardener, /
understand"
"I am," was the reply.
Well" said the landlord, GIVE q
garden which needs fettling. l have
not time to attend to it myself; and as
1t is time the seed was in, I'll employ
you if you are willing. I'll lind you
plenty to eat and drink; you can have
q bed as well; and if you please me,
I'll not see you leave without . few
shillings in your pocket. What say
your" .EI,Z. yF..-....g
81 say agreed" replied the gardener,
rising to his feet and grasping the land
lords hand. "I'n not begin to-morn,
howiver; but I'll look rand an get
riddy for Monday morn" IN
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 old bird-stuffer, whom shall
henceforth call the naturalist Gas 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-frst
looked hard at the company; but the
naturalist, giving them a significant
nod, which seemed to say: "All right, :"
they settled down and called for 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 un-
der cover; so, placing my chair in q
corner, and putting my head against
the wall, tried to get . 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 1 under
stand some of the phrases which they
used. "Bruce" and Wonder, %" fax"
and " stuffing," were words often en-
ployed by them. recollected that
81 Bruce" was the name of the dog, and
t" 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 q 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 II 1 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. l gave him what information /
could. But" said, "both they and
1 believed you were asleep"
cit is well to go into dream-land at
times" he said; and then added: "Did
you say that the old man keeps q mu-
seumf Have you seen itp DO you think
I could get look at it?'
The questions were put one after the
other in quick succession, as though he
were eager and anxious about some
thing. I said "Yes' to each; but I
was surprised at the good English in
which he now spoke, and at the refine
ment which marked his manners. Still
/ could make nothing of it.
pass over the next few DAYS, as they
brought forth no remarkable incident.
The gardener had stuck to his contract
with the landlord, and had been en-
abled 10 get on with my work. The
four men did not again visit us; but as
went ON with my carving, saw first
one and then another of them pass my
place. And once l saw them all in
earnest converse in q retired lane.
After supper one night l took the
gardener to the barn-like habitation of
the old naturalist. As we went along,
he asked me to take particular notice
of the dog and the lamb. For" said
he, !" Twas struck with the questions
one of the men put as to whether
Bruce and Wonder could take in
more scotton' or fax And it is Just
possible," he continued, /" that he has
a way Of taking out and putting in the
stuffing after the skin has become set
and hard; a thing worth knowing, l
SHOULD think" =
When we got to the house the old
man came to the door, closing it after
him. Being asked if he would allow
the gardener to see over his collection
of preserved animals, he at first seemed
perplexed, and saying, "Pll ask my
son, he went in, leaving us outside.
Shortly he returned, and said, Z" 1t is
not convenient to enter the room to-
night, as it is being cleaned and the
contents re-arranged; but II your friend
VIII come tomorrow night, and come
alores he shall see over it.'' .
We agreed, and came away. was
at q loss to account for the condition
imposed; but my companion was set up
with the arrangement.
Next night came, and the gardener
set of ON his errand. was all impa-
tiences for his return. But when he
came back he seemed unwilling to re-
late tia rqsnlt 0f hia advant,rre aimplv