THE SIX OF SPADES. 169 







another part of its columns. Well, all goes on as 

 smooth and easy as a new mowing-machine, until the 

 committee begins to collect subscriptions, and then 

 there's pebbles among the knives. I've been round 

 myself, and though it's very delightful to hear what 

 a vast amount of charity there is in the world, as 

 nobody knows nothing of, and what a many calls 

 folks has, and how still they answers 'em, it ain't 

 pleasant to arrive, as somehow one generally does, 

 just after the last entry has been made on the sub- 

 scription list, and there's nothing for you but best 

 wishes. I once went a-begging for a cottager's show 

 to Sir Nathan Nipper, knight and drysalter, him as 

 they sent for when the great engineer swallowed the 

 half-sovereign " for if it's gold," they said, " Nat'll 

 have it ; " and he says to me, " Mr. Bevins " (the old 

 screw knew my name well enough), " I can assure you 

 that it positively makes me tremble to think of the 

 amount which I have given away during the last 

 twelve months in charity." Whereupon my mate, as 

 formed along with me what our committee called a 

 deppytation, a young clergyman, and one of the 

 pluckiest gentlemen as ever I had the pleasure of 

 meeting, he turns as red as a Torn Thumb geranium, 

 and out it comes " Sir Nathan," he says, "every- 

 body knows that you have more than a million of 

 money, and your head-gardener told us this morning 

 that you had just spent two hundred pounds in 

 orchids ; and yet you cannot spare a sovereign in 

 support of a poor man's show. The best wish I can 

 wish you is, that you may really tremble as you 

 pretend to do at your miserable list of charities. 



