THE RETURN TO ENGLAND 



ago, and they have the same tastes, but do not sit up 

 quite so late as we did twenty years ago. Many 

 have retired or changed their business. Everyone 

 drifts — but if they go several ways there are many 

 pleasant reminiscences. 



There were some good fellows met in the course of 

 the years. Bertie Marks, in the sponge trade, is still 

 a man about town ; what he doesn't know about the 

 game of poker — " bluff," in Maida Vale — makes no 

 matter. Then Albert Bendon, the owner of Wuffy 

 and other horses, before he went on the Stock 

 Exchange years ago, used to look after the interest 

 of his firm in the big cities with two or three tons of 

 clocks. David Samuel, in the watch trade, has retired 

 now and lives in Paris — he was one of the best little 

 friends possible to meet. Nat Bernstein, a mantle 

 maker, smoked the best of cigars and was a most 

 amusing companion and good chap. It was extra- 

 ordinary, the rounds of the different provincial hotels, 

 and we knew exactly on arrival whether there was a 

 " game " on. Be it to the credit of all I met that there 

 was never a suggestion of neglecting a single chance in 

 the way of business. ^Vhatever the temptations to 

 " join in," all which could be done was finished first. 

 I was punished once for " sitting down " too soon — 

 there was one letter left unwritten until the next day. 

 I came into the room about five minutes too early. 

 " Shall I deal you in ? " asked the man with the cards. 

 " Go ahead," and I had not sat down when I picked up 

 my cards — a king full — ^three kings and two aces — and 

 was as judicious as I could be not to scare others away. 

 One player bought three and we were soon up to the 

 limit, ten pounds — we started with one two four to 

 play, doubling up to a ten-pound limit. He had four 

 queens. I was never in a hurry again. 



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