TEE SIX OF SPADES, 73 



happy consequences of allowing the old mare her 

 head, I should point triumphantly to the scarlet 

 "comforter," which, coming through foul weather 

 to " The Six of Spades," Mr. Grundy is wont to wear, 

 and which was wrought expressly for him by the 

 swift needles of Verjuice. Mr. Oldacre never beholds 

 this neckerchief without addressing an inquiry to the 

 curate (of whom anon, my readers), " whether he is 

 aware that one of the Society has serious thoughts 

 of petitioning Parliament to legalize marriage with 

 grandmothers ; " and then he will address the brother 

 in question, and promise him a dish of " the Duke's 

 potatoes," whenever they are needed for the wedding- 

 feast. 



But what does he mean by " the Duke's potatoes " ? 

 A good many years ago, when Joseph Grundy first 

 came among us, with horticultural experiences of a 

 very limited range, he was invited to attend a general 

 meeting of our Floral and Cottage-gardening Associa- 

 tion. The proceedings terminated with a supper, and 

 at this supper were handed round some Jerusalem 

 artichokes, which Mr. Oldacre had kindly sent from 

 the Castle. Now Joseph is a very impartial feeder, 

 accepting all things (I was compelled on one occasion 

 sternly to reprove a facetious waiter, whom I caught 

 winking at his assistant, as he offered to my friend 

 the sweet pudding-sauce, and watched him pouring 

 it liberally all over his boiled rabbit) and he now 

 helped himself accordingly. Presently an expression 

 of extreme disrelish passed over his rosy face, and 

 beckoning to the landlord of our village inn, the 

 Gunter of our feast, he asked, disdainfully, to be 



