74 A BOOR ABOUT THE QAEDEN. 



informed, " whose swilltub he had rohbed o' them 

 things ? " The reply was, that they had come from 

 the Castle, a present from Mr. Oldacre. A momen- 

 tary surprise and hesitation flitted over Mr. Grundy's 

 lineaments, and then he spoke bravely, as he ever 

 does, his thoughts : " Duke or no Duke, if poor ould 

 chap gets no better taturs nor these, he'd be foine 

 and pleased with a turnip ! " 



Hence the allusion of Mr. Oldacre. But Joseph is 

 generally ready for him with some amusing rejoinder, 

 and is never, indeed, to be lightly regarded as an 

 adversary in jest and banter. There came a stranger 

 to one of our meetings, I forget by whom introduced, 

 and who must have possessed, if phrenology be true, 

 so large an organ of self-esteem as considerably to 

 perplex his hatter. This gentleman was pleased dur- 

 ing the evening to turn his attention to Joseph Grundy, 

 and, rightly inferring from his appearance that he 

 was not a highly scientific gardener, to inquire, in 

 ridicule, " what orchids he thought of exhibiting at 

 the next Crystal Palace Show?" J. G. took four 

 long pulls at his pipe, and then answered very 

 meekly, "I haven't no orchids, if you please, sir, 

 and I'm not much of a shower ; but I think I know 

 what prize you'll win." " Indeed ! " said our visitor, 

 evidently pleased with the notion that his fame as a 

 florist was known to us all ; " and which may that 

 be?" "Well," said Joseph, " thou'lt be first i' 

 cockscombs, and thou'lt not be very far behind i' 

 greens." 



