A STRANGER, AND SHE TOOK HIM IN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2207, 28 May 1891, Page 4

A STRANGER, AND SHE TOOK HIM IN.

It happened in this way. Among the victims to a heartless scheme of Government retrenchment was a civil servant, whose social lines were laid among the elite and the Blue Bloods of Thorndon and eleswhere. Great was the spmpathy expressed with this dispensed-with officer, but he was equal to the occasion, although wrath at the curt treatment be bad received from the authorities. He announced to his friends his intention of straightway earning the nimble sixpence by the sweat of his manly brow and the sale of vegetables grown on his modest holding in a suburban district. He would, he said, regardless of “form,” 5* bon ton” “prestige,” and other sbiboletha of an upper crust circle, himself drive a horse and cart and hawk the succlent cabbage, the luscious carrot, the homely turnip, and “greens” generally, in the fashionable quarter of the city. Thus would# he not only gain an honest, if bucolic, living, but also he would, each time be served their households with vegetables, shovel coals of fire on Ministerial heads that such a one as he had come down to a menial vocation It is needless to say this discarded civil servant was much condoled with by his lady friends. They agreed, too, to patronise his vegetables. One of them..acc,ordiOgly thus instructed her handmaiden : “ Sophomsba Jane! I have got to go out this morning, but a man will call to sell .some vegetables. Well.’you know, he is not exactly a man —a common man—he is a gentleman 1 And you , will please buy ; a quantity of - vegetables from him. Yea ! and afterwards, Sophonisba Jane r ask him into the dining room and give him. a, pice luncheon;and a cup of tea ! Don’t forget, there’s a good girl, because, you know, be is not a common' market gardener—you understand.” Not long after her mistress had gone out, round came the vegetable hawker. The girl thought he was a roughlooking fellow, but, obedient to instructions she had, purchased from him enough green stuff to last a month, and then' she asked him .to. “ Step in, please, sir.” It is true that the hawker looked at the girl, and said “ What are yer givin’ us? ” but he went in and was fed and had his tea. After this he left with a dazed sort of expression as if life was a superlative mystery to him at that juncture. Presently the lady returned. She asked the'servanfc if the vegetable man bad been, The servant narrated what bad occurred. “ And did he appear pleased; ” she asked ; “ did he say anything.” “ No, ma’am,” said the girl, somewhat hesitatingly ; “ nothing particular.” “jAre you sure P He must have said something,” said her mistress. “ Well, ma’am; he did say something. He were a-goin ’bout, when he remarked as how the feed was a adjective good ’un, but the tea was sanguinary ’ogwash ! ” It then dawned upon the lady she had enters tained a stranger unawares. More-' over, when that ex-Civil servant comes round with the cabbages, he will not get his lunch and tea. —W; Peat.