Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-03-19

have a-learnt from they, like, and do
eat 'em for a relish. Oh, there's a
goldfish trade. I've lived at ii SUM-
mer and winter alike for 10 years
} IT'S a growing trade, too. To be sure
gentry don't eat 'em in this country.
but tbs to be hoped that they will. For
I've a-bin told, and told by one that
have a-bin there, too, that in furrin
parts quality folk do eat 'em to their
meals. And why not? They be won
derful good, and strengthening, too. >
What do they taste winkles?''
"Winklesl" The mere word filled
him with scorn. They be better than
best mutton"
and are there other men in the
trade?'
PLENTY. But not about here. No
If a man should chance to come here,
70 zoon as he knew / was working this
district he'd go agay again."
professional etiquet, | suppose?"
He looked puzzled Then he said
Eyes, yes" But presently he added
doubtfully: you zee, he wouldn't
| find none where I'd been"
But this was wasting time, and he
turned back to his work; though now
| that his tongue was loosened he kept
talking all the while. Into the dark
caverns under the wrinkled roots of A
maple bush he thrust his snailing iron
and tapped in all directions.
There's a lot here he said
How do you know"
By the sound"
He pulled away the sandy eartn and
put in his hand. 1.-THE only risk in
this trade" he told me with a shake
of the head, "is from adders, but ther
| be all in their winter sleep by now.
| He drew out cluster of snails half
as big again as cricket ball. There.
That's how they do cling together in
winter-to keep warm, l suppose.
You know, snail is very cunning
thing. He do know what he do like,
and where he's safe from the thrushes.
He do like maple and sycamore and
nut and ash. But elder he cant
| a-bear, and so he won't 70 there
think O. that! He do know his own
most men and all women-eh? And
| they'll crawl through a crack in a old
stone wall, one at time, and then
| pack inside 100 o 'em, where | can
hook 'em out. And a snail do know
limestone from other stone, too. He's
| partial to limestone"
All this while the snail merchant
kept picking snails from among the
| ivy, from crevices between stones. and
from the thick grass that fringed the
bottom of the rough wall by the
meadow gate All the little ones he
religiously put back. There is no close
time for snails, so it behooved to be
careful. On the bank lay an old black
relic of a boot
"a snail do dearly love an old boot, -
quoth the snail merchant, as he picked
out two dozen.
his satchel being full he stopped
to pour the contents into his sack.
How do you send them?"
Train. They pays carriage and re-
turns the bag was the busincss-lile
! reply.
Don't the shells bet broken?''
They be too strong. Why. see how
thrush must keep knocking on a
stone. Now I'll tell a pretty thing
When the frosts do come and tha
ground is so hard as iron, The thrusheS
do follow on behind and pick up any
do chance to drop and the small tina.
! / do throw back. You see, q thing
half starved do lose his fear, for | da
never see 'em another tiwe TIE
robins will come close up where | do
move the earth, but they be, more
curious than shy. But talking o. snail
shells, you can tell a snail's age Ivy
his shell up to five, and then he do
stop growing and go out o. mark like
boss at eight. Looky, see here
he held up a snail and pointed to the