158 THE FLORIST. 



it's like whetting your scythe with your rubber, — the longer you do 

 it the sharper it gets ; but they can't stand good nature ; let 'em be 

 ever so cross, they're sure to give in, like the same scythe against 

 moss. The keeper was the worst, and they always are. Kind, good 

 man as our squire was, the game seemed to lie nearer hi? heart than 

 any thing else. That's often been another puzzler to me, how gen- 

 tlemen that are justices of peace can keep so much temptation for 

 the poor man as a head of game, when they see every week and every 

 sessions what comes of it. Then look at Mr. Keeper: if the tenants 

 didn't please him, they couldn't call the farm their own, for he'd 

 watch for some flaw about 'em as he'd watch a poaciier, and he'd 

 have 'em out by hook or crook. But I got the riglit side of him too, 

 and in a little while had my mould-heaps all to hand, well turned 

 over, frosted, and housed. 



I brought some few things with me, and a few neighbouring gar- 

 deners helped me to a few more, and I made the best of a little. I 

 noticed, that whenever my master or mistress came into the garden, 

 it was only to walk, not to look in the houses, which they didn't 

 come near. Christmas- day came round ; and when my lady came 

 into the breakfast-room, I contrived that she should find a basket of 

 forced flowers ; poor things to be sure, but enough for what I wanted. 

 Christmas-time was not kept at the Hall, except by the in-door ser- 

 vants ; all the out- door ones had beef and things for puddings, for 

 my lady said she thought wives and children ought to have their 

 share. 



When the Christmas party w^as all gone, the squire and his lady 

 were walking one day as usual, when they left the terrace and came 

 to the houses, and went through them ; and my master said, " Have 

 you got all you want, gardener?" Now that was the very thing I 

 wanted. When men go to new places, they often frighten their em- 

 ployers by saying they must have this and that and the other, instead 

 of doing their best with what they find. I told him I should be glad 

 of a few things, and he gave me orders to get them. I could tell 

 that he saw the money wouldn't be thrown away, though he said 

 nothing of the kind. My lady said a word or two about the pretty 

 flowers I'd sent in, and noticed what I'd been doing about their 

 garden-room front. But I'd watched, and seen that their eyes were 

 not idle in the houses, and I heard too, when they were going away, 

 "New brooms sweep clean." " Ay," thought I, "and so will the 

 old stump, if you only put it to the right kind of work." 



1 found I'd a comfortable place of it; and now and then a brother 

 gardener would call in, fori didn't go about much, and in particular 

 when the family was away, though then's a leisure time. But even- 

 ings in winter seemed long; and one day a neighbouring gardener 

 asked me if I'd go to the King's Head on a Wednesday evening, and 

 smoke a jiipe with a few more that met in a friendly way. I didn't 

 think much about it, and said I would ; and yet before that time, and 

 I don't know why, I wished 1 hadn't agreed. However, as I'd pro- 

 mised, I thought I'd go and see what it was like, and if it didn't 

 please me, I needn't keep it up. 



