the old, old trade of shoemaking. He
was obliged to leave his wife and children in Aberdeen, and to tramp
himself on foot to Banff, so that he might earn the necessary money to
bring them back; for the cash he had got for the collection had all
gone in paying expenses. It is almost too sad to relate; and no wonder
poor Edward felt crushed indeed when he got back once more to his
lonely shoemaker's bench and fireless fireside. He was very lonely
until his wife and children came. But when the carrier generously
brought them back free (with that kindliness which the poor so often
show to the poor), and the home was occupied once more, and the fire
lighted, he felt as if life might still be worth living, at least for
his wife and children. So he went back to his trade as heartily as he
might, and worked at it well and successfully. For it is to be noted,
that though Thomas Edward was so assiduous a naturalist and collector,
he was the best hand, too, at making first-class shoes in all Banff.
The good workman is generally the best man at whatever he undertakes.
Certainly the best man is almost always a good workman at his own trade.

But of course he made no more natural history collections? Not a bit
of it. Once a naturalist, always a naturalist. Edward set to work
once more, nothing daunted, and by next spring he was out everywhere
with his gun, exactly as before, replacing the sold collection as fast
as ever his hand was able.

By this time Edward began to make a few good friends. Several
magistrates for the county signed a paper for him, stating that they
knew him to be a naturalist, and no poacher; and on presenting this
paper to the gamekeepers, he was generally allowed to pursue his
researches wherever he liked, and shoot any birds or animals he needed
for his new museum. Soon after his return from Aberdeen, too, he made
the acquaintance of a neighbouring Scotch minister, Mr. Smith of
Monquhitter, who proved a very kind and useful friend to him. Mr.
Smith was a brother naturalist, and he had books--those precious
books--which he lent Edward freely; and there for the first time the
shoemaker zoologist learned the scientific names of many among the
birds and animals with whose lives and habits he had been so long
familiar. Another thing the good minister did for his shoemaker
friend: he constantly begged him to write to scientific journals the
results of his observations in natural history. At first Edwar