HIS INTRODUCTION TO HIS "ALTER EGO." 141 



in putting to rights the walks and woods, half-way down 

 the avenue. John had gone right up to the house through 

 the tall trees, looking for herbs. Not finding Charles there, 

 he was returning home again along the winding walk to the 

 lodge, when he came upon the sorting party. 



Advancing to their leader, he abruptly asked him, " Are 

 you Charlie Black ? " After answer in the affirmative, 

 he said, " Weel, I hae a letter for you." While the work- 

 men scanned the little man with amused glances, John 

 fumbled in his blue coat pocket and at last brought out a 

 piece of newspaper, in which, with accustomed care, the 

 important epistle was wrapped, and handed it in silence to 

 Charles, who waited with some curiosity the issue of the 

 interview. The letter told that the bearer, John Duncan, 

 a friend of William's, had come to reside in that neigh- 

 bourhood, having obtained employment as a weaver, and 

 that, like Charles himself, "he was a great lover of plants." 



With a searching look at the quaint personality thus 

 introduced to him one of a class unjustly contemned by 

 most but themselves, and not least by servants in gentle- 

 men's houses and in spite of a mental criticism that he 

 looked "a very queer customer to study plants," Charles 

 said, with all hearty kindliness, that he was glad to see him, 

 and would be happy to render him any assistance in 

 regard to " the floors," 



Had he done anything to Botany already ? Did he 

 know any of the plants ? John said he did a 'good many. 

 In real surprise, after his own hard experiences, Charles 

 asked what books he had used to discover them. He had 

 used " Culpepper." The mention of this book, associated 

 in Charles's eyes with quackery, herbs, saws, and bottles, 



