“I don’t memorize the name of no John Legg at Medge, though, to be sure, I have been away from them parts for twenty years—yes, that is so!”
“No, you can’t remember him. He was not a Medge man. He came from the borough in London about two years ago. After his wife died, broken-hearted, it is said, by the conduct of his children, he sold out his business in London and came down to Medge, where he had a married sister and many nieces and nephews, his only relatives, except his undutiful son and daughter. He had enough to live on in retirement, but could not enjoy himself in idleness. So he took the first chance to go into business again. It happened that the only greengrocer in the place, an aged man, wanted to sell out and go to live with his married daughter, who was the wife of a farmer in the neighborhood.”
“More fool he!” exclaimed Dandy. “I saw the play of ‘Lear’ once.”
“But there was a Cordelia in it, you know, Dandy!”
“Yes; go on.”
“John Legg bought out the old greengrocer, shop, stock, house, furniture and good will. The rectory people dealt with him, as why not when he was the only greengrocer in the village? And so he made the acquaintance of their servant, Julia Quin, and soon proposed to marry her, and as she did not wish to leave Medge and go with the rector and his wife to Haymore, she accepted honest John Legg. And I hear that they make a very comfortable couple.”
“How do you know all this here you are a-telling me of so confident like?”
“Because in your interests I made very minute inquiries into all the circumstances, and Mr. Campbell was so good as to give me all the particulars,” replied Longman. “And, Dandy, will you let me speak to my other friends—they are waiting, you see?”
“Sartinly, Mr. Longman. Who’s a-hindering on you? I myself am going into the town to send a telescope message to my niece,” replied the old man, and with a low bow, intended for all the company, he turned and left the room.
Ran hastily shook hands with Longman, then leaving him with the others, hurried out after his old friend, whom he found on the drive.