OLD COUNTRY SORT. Ill 



only among a few little people ; and it was 

 only for such things as Polyanthuses, Au- 

 riculas, Pinks, Carnations, Picotees, and Pan- 

 sies. "Well, the job was to find judges ; and 

 when we got ? em, they pleased nobody but 

 those who had the prizes : they said how 

 lucky we were to get such clever men ; the 

 others said there wasn't a judge amongst 

 'em. And then to hear the talk when we 

 got over our pipes and pots after the show ; 

 and to see the sly old landlord, who was one 

 that showed too, how he'd come in when 

 we'd got settled down a bit, and set us by 

 the ears about our pips and pastes and 

 lacings, and full flowers and thin ones the 

 old fox, he knew well enough the pot never 

 empties so fast as when the tongue gets 

 dry with arguing. Dear me, I've known a 

 pretty deal of his small beer turned into 

 strong at such times, doing what he called 

 double duty 



Sobering the brains, 

 And helping his gains. 



But after a while the gentry got up a society, 

 which swamped the little ones like ours with 

 its two-and-sixpenny prizes. But, with all the 

 talk, it was pitiful work ; for there was just 



