“Allow me to proceed! It is not always those who have the most money and the best education, that do the most work, either in natural history or anything else.”
“Oh yes! That’s all very well; but it’s not to the point. But (looking at his watch) I find I must go. I’ll call again; for I am determined to be at the bottom of this affair.”
The next time he called, Edward was standing at the door. “Well,” said he, “I can’t wait to-day, for I have to go into the country, and I can’t be home for a week. But here’s your fare.” “No, no,” said Edward; “you haven’t been in.” “Very well, here goes!” and he pitched the fare in amongst the birds. When Edward went to look at the fare, instead of a penny, he found a crown-piece. The gentleman never called again. By the time he returned from the country, the exhibition was at an end.
INVITES HIS MILL-MATES.
As Edward had announced in his handbill that he had been an inhabitant of Aberdeen, and worked at the Grandholm Mills in his boyhood, some of his old companions called upon him at the Exhibition. The paragraph in the handbill was as follows:—“The idea of having a collection of the Works of Nature was first formed by him (the Exhibitor) in very early life, and whilst traversing the country in the vicinity of Aberdeen, but more particularly when wandering amongst the delightful haughs of Grandholm, where he went to work when little more than nine years of age. Should this come under the notice of any of those who were mill-mates with Thomas Edward, they perchance may remember the boy they all wondered at so much, because he would not join in their youthful sports, but rather chose to wander alone through the woods or by the banks of the Don, in quest of those objects, the pursuit of which in after years cost him so much labour, time, and expense.”
HIS SHOPMATES UNPERSUADED.
As nearly twenty years had passed since Edward had worked at the spinning-mills, he failed to recognise his early companions when they called, until they mentioned some circumstance or conversation which brought them to his recollection. Some walked round the collection before they made themselves known to him, whilst others did so as they entered. But one and all agreed, that though they might have imagined that Edward had done something towards making the collection, they could not believe that he had done it all by himself, whilst working at his trade. They were working men themselves, and knew what they had to contend with, in the form of want of time, want of means, and difficulties of all sorts. These considerations only tended to heighten their sense of astonishment the more.
Some of Edward’s other acquaintances also called, and they, like the others, declared that it was perfectly impossible for any working-man to have made such a collection by himself without any extraneous aid. One of his old shopmates called frequently, and Edward endeavoured to convince him that the thing was quite feasible; but he insisted that he must have got assistance or help in some way or another.
“Well,” said Edward, “you remember how I worked beside you in the old garret in Shoe Lane, how I was never idle, and was always busy at something, whether I had shoemaking to do or not. Very well! I continued the same practice after I left you; and when I got a wife, instead of growing lazier, I became more ardent than ever. I squeezed the pith and substance out of every moment to make the most of it; and raxed and drew every farthing out like a piece of india-rubber, until I could neither rax nor draw it any more. I have thus endeavoured to make the most and the best of everything.”
VINDICATES HIS WIFE.