Past ana Present. 77 



Having done full justice to the dinner, I said, 

 "Now Jack, there's the bill to come, what do yon 

 think it wiU be?" 



"Mebbie at Palmer Flatt, they would charge 

 half-a-cro\^Ti," said Jack, thoughtfully; and adding 

 "but I think at Hawes we could git it for twae 

 shillings." 



When I told him it amounted to over two 

 pounds, Jack certainly rose to the occasion, and 

 jumped up saying "I'll nivver pay it, can't we 

 hev it taxed?" 



"No, Jack, we can't," I said, quietly, "we've 

 had it, and it will have to be paid for." 



It was paid, and Jack, as we were leaving the 

 room, looking round, remarked, "I might have 

 been sure there was robbery astir, when I saw 

 all them passon chaps." He evidently mistook the 

 waiters for parsons. Rather rough on the 

 cloth, eh? 



I afterwards took him to the Alhambra ; there 

 was a very big ballet on, and I think that I never 

 saw a man so surprised in my life, when the girls 

 appeared, some of them out of flower buds. 



