The Merry Past 



this is not unnaturally glossed over as much as 

 possible. 



There are many recently ennobled families which 

 might have very appropriately adopted some simple 

 instrument or article of domestic utility as their 

 badge. 



" Who sent this ? " demanded a widowed Peeress, 

 with anger depicted upon her sorrowing countenance, 

 as she pointed to a somewhat peculiarly shaped floral 

 tribute, amongst the wreaths sent by friends of her 

 departed lord, who had once known that dignity 

 which manual labour imparts. 



" Beg your pardon, my lady," was the family butler's 

 reply, " it ain't a ' pickaxe,' it's an ' hanchor.' " 



A great brewery at one time was considered an 

 almost certain passport to the House of Lords, but 

 of recent years, owing to various causes, many an 

 individual engaged in this industry has come to be 

 considered very " small beer " indeed. 



Careful enquiry into the origin of the families of a 

 good many peers, who have been created within the 

 last fifty years, would reveal some amusing results. 

 Most of our modern patricians have not the frankness 

 of that Duke of Leeds who lived at the beginning of 

 the nineteenth century. 



" My family," said the Duke, " deduces its origin 

 from Jack Osborne, the shop-boy of a pin maker on 

 London Bridge, in the reign of one of the Henrys. 

 The only daughter of his master fell from a window 

 into the Thames : the lad saw her danger, and 

 rescued her. Some years after the young lady had 



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