The Merry Past 



his bid, he much surprised the auctioneer, who 

 showed signs of doubting the bidder's solvency, by 

 holding up a ^100,000 bank-note, and saying, '^ Here's 

 the cock, I've got the old hen at home." 



On another occasion this miser, going to receive 

 certain dividends, refused to take notes, his idea 

 being that the time had come for cash settlements 

 alone. 



" I'll take no more paper," said he. " I want to 

 see whether there's any meaning in the words, ' I 

 promise to pay.' " The clerk endeavoured to ex- 

 plain to him the sort of bullion payment that was 

 intended, adding, that the moment for that was not 

 yet come. " Pooh ! " said the old gentleman, " it's 

 no such thing. I am to have gold, if I like it, and 

 not paper. Where are all your promises ? " 



"How should I know?" replied the clerk; "we 

 never keep any of them ! " An answer which set the 

 old man thinking. 



A more pleasant character, though thoroughly 

 unconventional, was the clergyman called the Reverend 

 Benjamin Smith, known as " Walking Smith," on 

 account of his once having won a large wager by 

 having walked against time between Stamford and 

 Grantham. 



Himself the son of a clergyman, " Walking Smith " 

 was rector of North Witham, near Stamford, Lincoln- 

 shire, and was a half-nephew to Sir Isaac Newton. 

 He was educated at Peterhouse College, Cambridge, 

 and took the several degrees of bachelor of arts, 

 master of arts, and bachelor of divinity. 



251 



