The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-03-30

I TWO. L he dccOuEb was CDlS. he HdU
been gentleman's gardener, near
Lancaster, over twenty years; had a
capital place, but had not sense enough
to keep il. for he had gone on the Loose
| for a fortnight, which was more than
his master could put up with, so he
was discharged This wor day afore
yesterday he said, IAN I've drank for
vary veXation ever sin,' trampin' as
| drank, an SO here | am. wi dry maih
an wi'out a 'oppeny i my pocket.
Doesta think" he continued, ''tha can
| raise a penny or tIppenCe amang this
company?'
| gave him a trife; others did the
same; and having thus raised the
wind,' he called for bread, cheese and
ale, and made a good meal
During the time the gardener had
been within hearing; so, accOsting the
old man while he was eating his din
ner, he said.
You aIe gardener, | understand?'' p
i am" was the reply.
We'll" said the landlord, Il have a
| garden which needs fettling. | 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 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 a few
shliIlngs in your pocket. What say
you 2"
i say agree" replied the gardener,
rising TO his feet and grasplng the land
lords hand III not begin omorn,
| however; but Ill look reand an get
riddy for Monday morn
! Ine proposal was satisfactory, where
| fore the gardener was made happy.
! Shortly afterward we had All addl
tiOa to orr company bv the in coming
Of the ola bird stuffer whom | shall
neuceforth call tie naturalist (as this
! designation was the one which pleased
| him), his son. the butterfly feeder, and
two other men whom l had not seen.
! Iaese-the stlangers-trst looked
bard at the company; but the natur-
| list, giving them signitiant nod,
which seemed to say" All right" they
| settled down, and called for glass af
rum apiece.
By this time the gardener had fin
| lshed his dinner. when, putting his
arms on the table aud his head on his
arms, ne fell or seemed to fall asleep.
The ram, which continued to come
down, compelled ne still to hide under
cover, SO placing my chair in a corner,
and putting my mead against the wall,
/ tried to get nap also, The natur-
| alist and his companions We're now
the only persons IL the room besides
the gardener and myself.
! l cannot tell half nor quarter of
! what was said bv first one and then an
/ other of the four persons; nor did un
derstand some of the phrases which
they used. Bruce" and Nv onder,'
flax and "stutfing,' were words Of
ten employed by them. | recollected
that Bruce" was the name of the dog,
and ~ 0nder" that Of the lamb IN the
museum before spoken Of; and the
other terms, | Judged, referred to the
| materials with which they were stuffed
but | could not see why they should
| speak III so low tone as they did
when they spoke Of them. Once or
twice they referred II a bird by some
slang phrase. But after events made
this clear enough.
BY ana by the weather cleared up
when the moG. 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 | knew who the
men were, and what their occupation,
and If / understood any of the words
uttered IN the lower tone of voice. l
gave him what information | could.
But" | said, both they and L believ-
ed you were asleep"
1t Is we'll to 90 Into dream land at
times" he saId; and then added, did
you say the old man keeps museum
Have you seen 1t? DO you think L
could get a look at It?'
The questions were put one after
the other in quick succession, as
though lie were eager and anxious
about something. | said yes" to each
but l was surprised at the good Eng
hsh in which he now spoke, and the re
finement which marked his manners.
Still 1 could make nothing of it.
L pass over the next few days, as
ihey brought forth no remarkable in
cident. Ihe gardener had struck to
his contract with the landlord, and |
had been enabled to get on with my
work, The four men did not again
visit us; but as | went on with my car
ying | saw first Que and then another
OF them All 10 earnest converse in ale
tired lane.
After supper, one night, | took the
gardener to the barn like habitatiCn OF
the old naturalist As we went along
he asked me to take particular notice
Of the dog and lamb. For said ne,
Il was struck with the questions one
OF the men put as TO whether Bruce
and W ouder' could take III any more
cotton or flax And it is Just pos
sible," he continued. that he has a
way of taking out and putting in siuf-
fling after the skin has become set and
Eard-a thing worthknowing, 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 seem
ed perplexed, and saying, Il Ii ask my
/ son, he went IN, leaving us outside.
! Shortly he returned and said, 1T is not
| convenient to enter the room tonight,
as 1t Is being cleaned aid the contents
rearranSed; but If your friend will
come to morrow highland come alone,
he shall see over II"
We agreed, and came away. was
at 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
tIence for his return. But, when he
4 Ia, I