had already begun
to blow. The violets were peeping out from among their leaves on a
sheltered bank, and Christmas roses, overblown, making a great show with
their great white stars, in a corner. Tozer himself soon took a great
interest in this little domain out of doors, and was for ever pottering
about the flowers, obeying, with the servility of ignorance, the
gardener's injunctions. Mrs. Tozer, however, who was in weak health, and
consequently permitted to be somewhat cross and contradictory, regretted
the High Street.

"Talk of a garden," she said, "a thing as never changes except according
to the seasons! Up in the town there was never a day the same, something
always happening--Soldiers marching through, or Punch and Judy, or a
row at the least. It is the cheerfullest place in the whole world, I do
believe; shut up here may do for the gentry, but I likes the streets and
what's going on. You may call me vulgar if you please, but so I do."

Tozer prudently said nothing to such outbursts except a soothing
exhortation to wait till summer, when she would find the benefit of the
fresh air, not to speak of the early vegetables; and he himself found
the garden an unspeakable resource. At first, indeed, he would stroll up
to the shop of a morning, especially if any new consignment of
first-rate York hams, or cheese, was coming in, which he loved to turn
over and test by smell and touch; but by and by the ancient butterman
made a discovery, such as we are all apt to make when we get old and
step out of the high road of life. He found out that his son did not
appreciate his advice, and that Mrs. Tom cared still less for his
frequent appearances. Indeed, he himself once saw her bounce out of the
shop as he entered, exclaiming audibly, "Here's that fussy old man
again." Tozer was an old man, it is true, but nobody (under eighty)
cares to have the epithet flung in his teeth; and to be in the way is
always unpleasant. He had self-command enough to say nothing about it,
except in a very modified shape to his wife, who was ready enough to
believe anything unpleasant about Mrs. Tom; but he took to gardening
with ardour from that day; and learned all about the succession of the
flowers, and how long one set lasted, and which kind should be put into
the ground next. He would even take off his coat and do a tolerable
day's work under the gardener's direction, to the great advantage of his
health and temper, while Mrs. Tozer grumbled