Leaves from a Madeira Garden 



We inquired what a guider might be. "A 

 guider," she answered, "is like this. John 

 he stand on the pier when English gentleman 

 land from Cape steamer, and he say to English 

 gentleman" (we can see that English gentleman), 

 " * You want a drink ? ' English gentleman say, 

 * Yes ! ' So John take him to a wine-shop, 

 and say to him, * Madeira wine very good 

 here.' So English gentleman order a bottle. 

 When he drink it, he say, ' How much ? ' 

 John say, * Eight shillings — very fine Madeira 

 wine.' English gentleman very cross, he 

 say too much money ; but in the end he pay, 

 and then he go on board again " — no doubt 

 assisted by the obliging John. 



" Next day," she continued, " John go to the 

 wine-seller, who give him four shillings. 

 Yes," she added reflectively, "John very 

 respectable man now " ; and we felt that any 

 remarks on the honesty of his former toil, 

 as contrasted with his present rascally business, 

 would be misunderstood. 



If it were not for these adventitious benefices 

 the island would be in a bad way. A stranger 

 may ask in surprise why Portugal, and especi- 

 ally Madeira, are poor. It is obvious that this 



15S 



