HIS WIFE. 81 



but to let me see any thing and every 

 thing. 



"Well," said he, "these are some seeds 

 my lady's son, who is in Australia with his 

 regiment, has sent me home. As soon as I 

 opened them, I saw there was mischief among 

 them ; so, you see, I put my little magnify - 

 ing-glass, which I always carry hung round 

 my neck, to my eye, and I soon found the 

 cause ; and now you look through that power- 

 ful glass at your elbow, and turn that screw 

 till you see something quite plain, and tell 

 me what it is." 



" Why," said I, " 'tis like a crab, and 

 all alive too." "Well," said he, "there's 

 my drawing of it. Now those seeds have 

 come 15,000 miles in a ship, but whether 

 my friend was born on the voyage I cannot 

 tell ; but there he is, and that dust you see 

 among the seeds is the chips he has made. 

 But come, tea's ready by this time; and 

 we'll not go out of doors afterwards, but we'll 

 make a long evening of it." 



So we went into the next room, and 

 there was his wife with the tea all before 

 her ; and she, too, gave me such a welcome, 

 that I felt easy in my chair directly. There 



