City Sketched, 347 



Here the company, with the exception of Mr. Storks, burst into 

 uproarious and long continued merriment ; outward mirth being an 

 art which Mr. Storks had never studied. 



" Well, but, now," said Downey, when silence was once again re- 

 stored, "I can let you into a good thing won't promise, though can't 

 be sure till I've got him, as the devil said of Dr. Faustus ; but I know 

 a young fellow that'll just suit you for a partner. Pve met him 

 several times at a house in the City. He's got two or three thousand 

 pounds which he does'nt know what to do with, and I'm sure he 

 wants to join some respectable house of business as a sleeping partner. 1 ' 



Here a second burst of exhilarating merriment proceeded from 

 the company. 



" He's the nephew," continued Downey, " of an old fellow late of 

 Well Street, who hopped the twig about a year back; and his name's 

 Brown. But, you understand, I shan't come it strong to my gentle- 

 man till you're regularly established " 



"About a week afterward, say?" enquired Hookem. 



"Aye, that's the time o'day; and mind ye, he's to have a leg and 

 a wing, and a piece of the breast off that goose, no mistake about that, 

 is it fair?" 



" Quite," said Hookem. 



"Of course," added Storks. " But," he continued with an air of 

 interest which, during Downey's statement, had been gradually enlarg- 

 ing till it almost arrived at the dignity of excitement " but, are you 

 sure this young man has money? two or three thousand, you said; 

 is it ready tangible down?" 



" Down," cried Downey, striking the table with his hand ; "what 

 d'ye think of that now, eh, Master Innocence? won't that do for 

 you?" and here our commercial agent contrived an irresistible variation 

 of visage that completely relaxed the muscles of his auditors. But the 

 entrance of supper,which consisted of beef-steaks and onions andboiled 

 potatoes, prevented for a while this agreeable species of relaxation. 



It may safely be affirmed that no four estimable individuals ever sat 

 down to this most pleasant of all meals with more true and unfeigned 

 relish than did the four persons of whom we have been treating. 

 After supper, the one grand topic and another bottle of whiskey 

 were broached; the enlivening song went round, or, rather, went 

 three quarters round, for Storks was no singer, and had a bad cold 

 into the bargain wit flew about which was not always caught good 

 humour prevailed which was not always prevalent, and, in a word, 

 unbounded hilarity was the order, or perhaps the disorder of the night. 



It was about a month after the meeting as here described that the 

 "sweet place" in Wood Street was entered upon; that "STORKS, 

 HOOKEM, & Co., MANCHESTER WAREHOUSEMEN," surmounted the 

 warehouse windows, and adorned the doorposts of the concern, and 

 that young Mr. Richard Miggle, the nephew of their friend Mr. 

 Downey, for the first time occupied a stool in the counting-house. It 

 were extravagant scepticism to doubt that to a respectable firm like 

 the above, credit could for a moment be denied. When it is stated 

 that the "small capital" of Mr. Hookem filled the warehouse to 

 overflowing with bales whose contents it were impertinent too minutely 

 to examine, and that Mr. Storks regularly paid for the goods ordered, 

 by bills at two months, drawn and accepted by that extensive Manchester 

 branch of the London trade, carrying on business under the firm of 

 Catchflat, Eumrigg, & Co." when these facts, we say, are stated, and 



