350 City Sketches. 



" A "pity," interrupted Storks, " money in the funds ! how sadly im- 

 prudent ! why, my good Sir, if her money were invested with us, we 

 could and would willingly allow her ten per cent, for the use of it." 

 " Could you, indeed?" said Brown in wonderment. 

 "Aye, could we," exclaimed Storks, and after a pause " well." 



" Well," said the partner, " I'll see if I can get four thousand for 

 two months ; I don't think I could get more." 



" It might do," replied Storks, as though in mental calculation, " at 

 all events, it will go part of the way towards it ; Hookem and I will 

 contrive the rest." 



" Shall I go at once ?" asked Downey, who began suddenly to pity 

 the infatuation of his aunt, who permitted herself to be taken in by 

 the government for a paltry consideration of 3 per cent., and the 

 security not so very good after all. 



" Aye, go go at once," said Storks, " dispatch is the soul of busi- 

 ness," and as playfully as it was in his nature to be, he pushed his 

 partner out of the counting-house. 



Mr. Brown was perfectly right when he designated his aunt a re- 

 markably particular and very cautious old lady. It was not until he 

 had placed the matter in every conceivable point of view, and had 

 undergone a wearisome and harassing argument of three hours' dura- 

 tion, that he succeeded in obtaining from her a letter to Mr. Smale, 

 her stock-broker, authorizing him to sell out the required sum, and to 

 pay it to her nephew's order. 



" Well, Smale," said Brown, when that gentleman had finished the 

 perusal of the letter, " Sharp's the word, I must have this cash." 



" I am very sorry for that," replied Smale, with great deliberation, 

 " for you can't ; consols are shut the books are closed for the divi- 

 dends for a fortnight." 



" Vexatious !" said Brown. " You know Smale, I have just entered 

 into partnership with a most extensive house ; the cash is of the 

 utmost consequence." 



" Why, if that's the case," returned Smale, " I'll see if it can be 

 got ; you must pay me a small commission for it, and I'll hold your 

 aunt's letter, and sell out when the stocks are open." 



"Do," said Brown, " do do, that's a good fellow." 



" Call in half an hour then, and I'll let you know," 



" I will. " 



And Mr. Smale walked over to his friend close by, whilst Storks 

 proceeded to an adjacent chop-house^ to get a little bit of lunch. 



Brown had just completed a sandwich, and was drinking a glass of 

 stout, when the conversation of two gentlemen in the next box 

 attracted his attention. 



" By the bye," said one, " who are these people, Storks, Hookem, and 

 Co., in Wood Street? are they known? 



" A bad lot, I'm afraid," replied the other ; " some people say they're 



regular " (Brown couldn't catch the word. A pity, he thought, 



some gentlemen spoke in so low a tone.) 



" Yes, they're doing every one, I hear, sweetly," continued the se- 

 cond speaker. 



"They are, are they?" 



[< Yes, and they've got a partner, too; Brown, the nephew of old 

 Softun, of Milk Street. They've stuck it into him before this, rely 

 upon it. A respectable man, Brown. 



*' Ah ! ha ! ha ! " laughed the first, " poor Brown !" 



