Gooseberries
There
was a favourite story of Capt. Reeve’s connected with Mrs Strutt, some relation
or other of Lord Raleigh. This good lady
was sauntering round her garden one day when she came across her gardener and
his little boy. The boy of course was
tongue-tied in the presence of his betters, as such boys have always the happy
way of being, more especially when asked a question. In order to encourage him, Mrs Strutt put a
handful of gooseberries in his hand which she had been gathering. The boy muttered his thanks, but did not make
the best bow as the occasion seemed to require.
His father noticed this, and being very particular in bringing up his
children in the right way, inquired of his son somewhat sharply “why did he not
take off his hat to Madam Strutt”. On
the boy making no reply his father took summary measures with him, and knocked
off his hat, when the cause of his tardiness became known. His hat was full to the crown with
gooseberries.
Terra firma
There
is a story of a gentleman who on one occasion paid a visit (and only a visit)
to a lunatic asylum. While he was
looking round the wards he was accosted by three or four of the unhappy
inmates, who conducted him to the edge of a landing some feet off the ground
and threatened to push him over. Our
friend saw that argument would avail but little with these bold spirits so he
bethought him, with great presence of mind, of a plan which should, while
seeming to meet them upon their own ground, be the means of placing him with a
whole skin on “terra firma”. He assured
them that the leap down was a mere trifle: if they would let me go quietly he
would show them something yet more wonderful: he would leap up again. So they let him go; and, on the principle
that all is fair in war he broke his word which he seemed to value less than
his neck, and made off.
No comments:
Post a Comment