CHAP. ix. INVITES HIS MILL-MATES. 165 



penny, he found a crown-piece. The gentleman 

 never called again. By the time he returned from 

 the country, the exhibition was at an end. 



As Edward had announced in his handbill that 

 he had been an inhabitant of Aberdeen, and worked 

 at the Grandholm Mills in his boyhood, some of his 

 old companions called upon him at the Exhibition. 

 The paragraph in the handbill was as follows : " The 

 idea of having a collection of the Works of Nature 

 was first formed by him (the Exhibitor) in very early 

 life, and whilst traversing the country in the vicinity 

 of Aberdeen, but more particularly when wandering 

 amongst the delightful haughs of Grandholm, where 

 he went to work when little more than nine years 

 of age. Should this come under the notice of any of 

 those who were mill-mates with Thomas Edward, 

 they perchance may remember the boy they all 

 wondered at so much, because he would not join 

 in their youthful sports, but rather chose to wander 

 alone through the woods or by the banks of the Don, 

 in quest of those objects, the pursuit of which in after 

 years cost him so much labour, time, and expense." 



As nearly twenty years had passed since Edward 

 had worked at the spinning-mills, he failed to recog- 

 nise his early companions when they called, until 

 they mentioned some circumstance or conversation 

 which brought them to his recollection. Some 

 walked round the collection before they made them- 

 selves known to him, whilst others did so as they 



