A TRAVELLING SCAMP. 59 



said I, "if I may be so bold as to say so 

 much, I think if you'd be so good as to put 

 up some rooms just over against the poor 

 men's gardens, with the backs of them look- 

 ing into the grounds, and the fronts to the 

 south, that I could manage to make the men 

 more respectable, or get some that would 

 be ; and if you'll make them a bit orna- 

 mental, I'll see that they shall be kept clean 

 and tidy, and no dissight to the place. Bad 

 rooms drive men to public-houses ; for you'll 

 see the difference in comfort, sir, if you look 

 any evening into the tap-room of the King's 

 Head, and then in here. 'Tis a wonderful 

 temptation to a poor man, that a rich one 

 knows nothing about; and a good many 

 that blame him the most ought to say the 

 least." He heard me very kindly, and then 

 went to the place I wanted him to build on, 

 and said he'd see to it, for he'd got many 

 things to think of that he'd never thought 

 of before ; " And who knows," said he, " but 

 David may be mended ? and so do not dis- 

 charge him, but tell him he's on his good 

 behaviour." 



Gardeners, like other working people, 

 are often imposed on by a set of lazy beg- 



