204 MR > SWINDELL 



had to say, and that the amusement was worth paying 

 for.' 



He was capital company. Many of his expressions 

 were extremely witty, and his stories, if somewhat 

 ancient, were told with a drollery that, to use his own 

 term, 'was hard to beat.' He was certainly of a generous 

 disposition. To many of his old ' friends ' in adversity 

 that he had known in better circumstances he used to 

 allow a pound a week. Meeting one of his impecunious 

 acquaintances standing outside a public-house, he said 

 inquiringly : 



' What's up now, lad ?' 



To which the other wittily replied : 



' I am dining out. I have just had a pork-pie and a 

 quart of beer with my last shilling.' 



1 Here is a sovereign,' was the prompt rejoinder. ' Go 

 and rob someone as quick as you can, and bring it me 

 back.' Of course the suggestion was only his fun. 



His investments in the Burton Brewery Company, at 

 Burton-on-Trent, gave him much anxiety at one time, as 

 his capital in it appeared gone, and the speculation a 

 failure. His friends, Messrs. Parker, Dale, and Snewing, 

 all lost confidence, and sold out at a great sacrifice. But 

 here the common-sense of which he was always proud, if 

 he thought highly of any of his capabilities, did him good 

 service, aided by his shrewd and business-like habits and 

 his indefatigable energy. He thought he saw his way 

 clear to advance still more money, but refused to do so 

 unless he was made a director; and then he added 

 another and last sum of 20,000 in this new capacity. 

 He soon found scope for his ability, and detected the 

 leakage, and remedied it by the removal of the head- 

 brewer and cooper. After this bold stroke in the right 

 direction things soon worked better. His next move was 



