TRICK. 119 



fellow pretended to have compassion on 

 him, and, telling him that he went about 

 for the purpose of assisting the distressed, 

 asked him what sum he thought would 

 set him straight with the world. The poor 

 fellow, believing his questioner to be what 

 he was only enacting, innocently enough 

 said twenty pounds would set his mind at 

 rest ; the latter immediately unbuttoned 

 his coat, put his hand in his breeches 

 pocket, and took out twenty sovereigns 

 counterfeits they might have been and, 

 holding them up to the man, said 



" There they are yours." 



The bricklayer turned his eyes up to 

 heaven in utter astonishment, and invoked 

 God's blessing upon his supposed bene- 

 factor. I was about to denounce his 

 trifling with the man's feelings, but de- 

 termined to see the end of it, as I sus- 

 pected some dishonest design. 



"You have no objection to give me an 

 acknowledgment for it ? " 



