ICG SOME GENTLEMAN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



the table, adding ( By-the-bye, Sir, now I think of it, it will be as 

 well, perhaps, if you'll permit me, to open a small account with you 

 while I'm in the neighbourhood. Let me see' taking out a banker's 

 book, and carelessly shewing a counter-receipt for 500/. from one of 

 the first London houses, dated only the day before, ' I'll draw in 

 your favor for five hundred pounds, or say four hundred and fifty, for 

 which you'll just give me your common acknowledgment.' Here 

 a servant entered the room, and hurriedly announced that the car- 

 nage was ready, and his mistress waiting. Mr. Jones snatched his 

 crutch and hat, and taking the banker's arm, hobbled towards the 

 door, continuing the conversation ' You took up the four fifties?' ' I 

 did.' ' Well, then, just draw the bill, and we'll pull across the road 

 to your door ; you'll have done it before I can get in and settled, for 

 this foot of mine, you see ' bring out a pen with a dip of ink, and 

 I'll sign on the back of my hat. Some cheques, too ; my two 

 hundred pounds won't carry me out of the week scarcely this is 

 Tuesday, isn't it ? Yes ! In electioneering, money flies one scarce- 

 ly knows how or where but if it's well spent, that's the point. 

 Excuse me for hurrying you, but I'm already late.' 



" But there was nothing fraudulent in this," I ventured to ob- 

 serve ; " the gentleman does the banker the favour " 



" I admit the term he does the banker the favour of giving him 

 Bank of England notes for his own paper, and makes him payee of a 

 bill on the London firm for 450/. " 



" Taking a common memorandum of the transaction for his se- 

 curity " 



" Granted : but hear me further." 



" I can't see where the robbery lies, for my part," said the coach- 

 man. 



te Hold your tongue, Ralph," quoth his particular friend : " you 

 know nothing of business." 



" But if there was any thing wrong, begging your pardon, sir," 

 rejoined Ralph ; " why didn't this man of business this banker see 

 into it ? " 



" Because," said the banker, raising his voice, " Jones was no 

 common man: he would have deceived the devil himself! Why he 

 took in me ! " 



Here Black Harry, who had been leaning over the roof of the 

 coach, startled us by trying to smother a laugh, which however com- 

 pletely mastered him, so that after spluttering awhile as if he were 

 suffocating, he burst out into a huge and hearty guffaw, in which all 

 of us, including the reluctant banker, speedily joined. Ralph was 

 the first to stop, " Steady, gentleman," said he in a very grave tone ; 

 " steady, if you please, down this awkward hill ; my horses don't 

 exactly understand the harmless joke: that off-leader has won two 

 gold cups now he's blind and a bolter " 



" When you hear the result," whispered the country banker 



" Silence, sir, if you please," interrupted Ralph. 



" What ! do you presume to " 



" Not one word more !" 



