8o Mr. Samuel Shrub. 



is his greeting to a stranger. If without hair on his face in 

 the shape of a moustache, he addresses him as if he took in 

 at a glance that he is a deputy-lieutenant, chairman of 

 Quarter Sessions, and owner of no end of broad acres. 

 How delighted little Joe Figgins (Figgins and Blobbs, St. 

 Swithin's-lane, E.G.) was, on his first appearance with 

 our justly-celebrated pack, at being addressed by the wily 

 Shrub as " squire ! " He has affected the country gentleman 

 ever since. To hear him talk of the weather and the 

 crops to his friends in the City is a caution. He even 

 dresses the part — double-stitched Melton coat, with long 

 skirts, birdseye necktie folded three times round his neck 

 and terminating in a bow, and drab gaiters over his 

 double-soled boots. 



To the stranger adorned with a moustache is given the 

 military appellation of captain, sometimes even major, or 

 colonel — a compliment greatly appreciated by no end of 

 Mr. Shrub's chance customers. 



'^ All gone on, squire," says he, as we trot gaily up to 

 his door {en route to the meet), and pull up for a moment 

 for a chat with old Sammy. " All gone on, squire. 

 Not 'untin' myself this mornin' ; got a touch of the old 

 complaint, squire. Just seen Lord 'Enery '111 and Lady 

 H'eva off in the fly. All the 'ard ridin' division down 

 from town. Colonel Somerville, the great hauthor, squire 

 — wrote Melton Mowbray, you recollect ; Major Box ; 

 Honerable Robert Brimstone — 'arder than ever, they 

 say, with the stag; Mrs. Slyboots, j^oz/ know, squire (here 

 Mr. Shrub, lookmg very sly, puts his fat forefinger to the 

 side of his nose, and nearly winks the left side of his face 

 off). 



''And some of them 'n-a-a-rsty Jews' — Cart't abide 



