AN 'APPLICATION.' Ill 



the other party to this brisk dialogue. This expres- 

 sion however suddenly changed and getting up and 

 going to the book case, he pulled out, as if in re- 

 ference to the discussion just pending a thick quarto 

 volume ; and having blown a little cloud of dust from 

 it into the fireplace and rapping it together once 

 or twice, apparently to complete the purgation, he 

 walked up and quietly laid it down, open, before his 

 visitor. 



"Would you oblige me by reading me a page of 

 this?" 



The other stared " Read this ! why gracious me, 

 Sir ! I can't ! Why, it's Greek or Latin or some- 

 thin' !" 



" Three lines will do." 



" I can't, Sir, really ! I couldn't read a word of it 

 if you'd give me the world ! " 



" One single line." 



" I can't indeed ! I never learnt a word o' this 

 stuff." 



" An agricultural author too ! His name is Theo- 

 phrastus. It's all about Wheat, Beans Egyptian 

 beans the same you buy at Mark-lane kiln-dried, 

 and all sorts of other plants and vegetables. Surely 

 you can read it ?" 



