FIRST-RATE GARDENING. 85; 



night, lie asked me if I shaved myself, " For 

 there's no barber hereabouts," said he ; " but 

 I can mow a chin on a pinch as well as a 

 lawn." " No, thank you," said I ; " no man 

 ever took me by the nose yet, and I must 

 not let you do so, I'm sure." 



I begged him to call me when he went 

 out at six in the morning ; but I was up and 

 dressed all ready long before that, and look- 

 ing out of the window on one large walled-in 

 square of kitchen-garden : beautiful standards 

 here and there, espaliers at the path-sides, 

 and handsome trees trained on the walls. 

 The two greenhouses I could see, one under 

 each window, but only could tell they were full 

 of colour. I opened the door as I heard his 

 footstep, while the garden-bell was ringing, 

 and had a kind hearty "Good morning ;" and 

 down we went, and saw all the gardeners 

 and labourers come in, and a very respect- 

 able-looking tidy lot they were ; and as they 

 passed us at his door, all said, " Good morn- 

 ing," which looked so pleasant. He gave 

 them his different orders as they passed, and 

 then he took me all round. It's no use 

 making many words about it, every thing 

 was first-rate; from the mould -yard to my 



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