Mr, Metal. 



117 



mean by sending me and my friends cold pie to h'eat ! 

 Take it back and 'ave it 'otted this minute." 



People who pretend to know declare that Metal, in his 

 earlier days, once occupied the important post of a " boots " 

 at a country inn, and the story goes that an impecunious 

 party whom he had sometimes given assistance to, being 

 refused on one occasion, taunted him with the fact of his 

 having himself once served in that menial capacity. 

 He is reported to have answered, ''Yes, you're quite 

 right. I was once a boots, and I'll tell you what it is, 

 my fine feller — it's my private opinion that \iyou had been 

 Boots like me, twenty years ago, you'd never have riz an 

 inch. Youd ha' been Boots now,'' 







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'.-^^ 



