WRONG NOTIONS ON COMMON THINGS. 103 



on. The squire ordered me to send to a 

 family a little way off some grapes and wall- 

 fruit, for a party they were going to have. 

 I sent it by him in one of my boxes, and 

 locked up, as I always did send it every 

 where ; for I can't bear to have my fruit 

 dished up with all the bloom off it. And I 

 sent the key in a letter to the footman, tell- 

 ing him how to put it on table, so as to be a 

 credit to me; for nothing's so vexing to a 

 gardener as to have it handled, as if it was 

 all the better for being rubbed about like a 

 parcel of oranges, which, without you tell 

 'em not, half the servants will do. I found 

 I'd left out some nectarines by mistake ; and 

 so I looked Andrews up, to go back again, 

 and I found him very busy over some cold 

 fowl and a great piece of fine ham. " Where 

 did you get that?" said I. "They gave it 

 to me at Woodside," he said. " Well, An- 

 drews," says I, " you know I'm no meddler 

 in other people's matters ; and if I say a 

 word, and ask a question, you must take it 

 in good part ; for it's no use being offended. 

 Did the mistress give it you, or the maid ?" 

 "Why," said he, "the cook did." " Then," 

 said I, " you shouldn't have taken it, that 



