1 8 THE EARLY DAYS OF 



Saturday came round, and consequently, like most of the other 

 boj's, I was very short of cash, which was sadh' needed to buy food, 

 especially during Lent, when we were well-nigh famished. 



I remember with much gratitude all the money given me b}' 

 outsiders, and on counting it up, I find it amounts to £\ 12s. 6d., 

 during the eight-and-a-half years I remained at school. 



The post-office officials were not so clever at detecting coin in 

 letters then as they are now, and it was a red letter day when we 

 found a coin, however small, inside an envelope sent by some 

 never-to-be-forgotten friend. Whenever I detected coin, which of 

 course was very seldom, I retired where I could open the envelope 

 unobserved, for unless the money was a good round sum, it was 

 very likely viewed with scorn by my companions, particularly by 

 those who never got anything at all. 



A lad who sat next me, opening ^n envelope one day, incautiously 

 allowed a sixpence to fall out upon the table : and the small amount 

 caused considerable laughter, mingled with sarcastic comments, 

 very mortif^ang for the small recipient to hear. But he was equal 

 to the occasion, — pretending to read the letter through, he suddenly 

 called out, " Aha ! its all right ! you fellows have no need to laugh, 

 because I find, this piece of silver is merely a pioneer, in order to 

 ascertain whether a piece of gold, which is to follow, can travel 

 safely without detection." 



My grandmother, who lived at the house with a bay window in 

 Portland Place, occasionally sent me presents, but, as she was told 

 that I fared " sumptuously as a king " at school, these generally 

 took the shape of books, and on one memorable occasion she sent 

 me " Hewitson's Eggs of British Birds," which first appeared about 

 that time. Although this work cost seven guineas I believe, money 

 was seldom better spent, its contents being much more suited to my 

 taste or mental calibre than grammar, and it is on my bookshelf 

 now. 



As the old lady I have mentioned hailed from Ireland, she was 

 possessed of considerable native humour, and one day I received 



