MEET A FRIEND THERE. 113 



for both; and before I'd lose such a sight, if 

 I was a young man, I'd walk every foot of 

 the way, that I would ! 



When I went up to London, the squire 

 got me an order, so that I might go to Chis- 

 wick early on the show-day, and see the 

 plants put up in their places ; and I never 

 could have believed any body that had told 

 me all I saw with my eyes that day. I 

 seemed lost in a wood of plants, as I walked 

 about in the tents, where the gardeners put 

 them down before they began to stage them : 

 and such a set of men, too ; why, their 

 helpers were better dressed and better man- 

 nered than the head men in our parts ; and 

 yet, when I asked a question now and then 

 of some of 'em, they didn't seem to want for 

 conceit. As good luck would have it, I met 

 a gardener that lived once not far from Bird- 

 wood, and had left to go into a London nur- 

 sery. I should not have known him, but he 

 made me out ; and very kind he was. After 

 all the plants were staged, and it wasn't 

 till just before ten, and I'd got to Turnham 

 Green by six, my friend said, " I wish I 

 could get you a ticket for breakfast ; but I 

 have got so little here, I know Doctor Lind- 



