The Warrington & Mid-Cheshire Examiner. — 1893-06-24 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

BLUNT. Per 3-0 train to Altrincham. "DIM there was another similar label discovf:tretl whicll alluded to "a per 3.45 p.m. train to Knotsford." It was a stupid oversight on my part, to leave these things on, and it caused the most amicable of my friends to regard me with a chilly suspicion. I tried to dispel this feeling by narrating the racing incidents which I had on the road with other better equipped cycliets. No matter how I exerted myself in this direction I couldn't, raise a cheering look ; on the contrary, they seemed to shrink from me and look hart—almost as though they suspected I was lying. We recommenced our journey and I was not left entirely behind this time. I kept up with a young fellow who had artificial legs and worked a tricycle with hand pedals. We had travelled perhaps eight mile, by the time the shades of night, had fallen—but, Siddington didn't appear to be in the locality. Soon we were gladdened by the sight of an illuminated hostelry, which we entered with an idea of getting our reekoningte But there was a surprise awaiting us. The large room of the place was filled with ideal John liodge6 —stout, burly farmer's men. They were seated along two long tables, and before each malt there was a pot of t cur and a dish of goosebe,rries. It had been the annual gooseberry show. Now anyone who knows anything of Cheshire will be aware that. in all villages almost, there is held a gooseberry show, which is regarded by the men as the greatest event of the year—except there be a funeral or a suicide or something more startling. A certain number of gooseberries grown by lerns:.lf, are submitted by each competitor, and the three finest berries take the first three prizes. The prizes had been awarded before we arrived and the men were well on in the mi:lq of one of those conversations which prove that the country labourers have hearts  and intellects, though the latter often is shaded by ignorance. It was good to see the hearty jolley way that those great men devoted themselves all night long, to criticisms of gooseberries and other matters of a like character. But amongst them all was conspicuoui one man whse face bore a gloomy look, so deep and so intense that I twice wanted to console him upon losing his wife and children. He looked more down-hearted and despondent than a sick monkey. By-and-by I asked him what was wrong.  " Wrung ! Naw, there isna mooch wrung! Oh, naw !"  "Lost your youngest child, perhaps?" "Strmige pup been killing the chickens?" "N -a-w  " What, then?' "Why, oney this. I sat up for fourteen neights watching the finest gosling as ever was, grow. I watched it grw from the soizi on a pea,and spread and spread till it wur bigger'n a plumb. I watched by it as if •it wur a sick choild—all the neight through, till I wur tired awt. Last neight I said to Polly oi thought we meight trust it till this morning, and I went ter bed and dreamed o' it awe nright.' "Yes.l  "And when I woken up this morning it wur gone, and (bending closer) I con swear, by gosh 1 zon, that that fast prize un is the one." Ile again lapsed into a meditative silence—a touching, pitiful, child-like grief, and he brushed horn his manly cheek a tear ot disappointment. But later on he got a bit fresher, and vowed that next year he'd have his gooseberry photographed—then he'd detect them.  We stayed there for sotne time and made the inhabitants alorion,ly happy by giving them tunes on the piano, and singing songs,and my friend with the artificial legs even paid for refreshments for them. As they got fresher they treated us more reverently ; they grew up from "Master "to " sur ;" then one of them in a kind of submissive mariner got to calling me " squire," then they all did it. We left in time to catch the last train home from Knutsford, and were escorted by four of the men who insisted upon" lighting" us along with lanterns. We could have been "me lords," if he'd stayed longer, but even gratuitous presents of titular embellidiments must be lost ; rather than the last train