82 IRiDina IRecoUcctions auD Uuit Stories 



has he kept me laughing at his quaint stories. 1 

 only wish I had the power of pen to relate a 

 twentieth part of what I have heard him tell ; but 

 I must try to tell one or two of his tales as well 

 as I can recollect them. 



Olliver assured me himself that he was always in 

 trouble so far as money matters were concerned. It 

 was nothing new to him to be fetched out of gaol 

 (they used to imprison men for debt in those days), 

 to ride a steeplechase, the bailees for the time 

 being answerable for his debts in case he won the 

 race, which, as he said, very often came off, because 

 they wouldn't fetch him out for a bad mount. On 

 one occasion, when he was locked up at Oxford, a 

 friend wrote him a letter of condolence, and asked if 

 there was anything he could send him (the debtors 

 were allowed to have things sent then). Tom 

 wrote back a very short note as follows : 



"Dear Sir, 



"You were kind enough to ask me if there was anything 

 you could send me — if so, you would do it if possible. Please 

 send me the best stone-wall jumper you can find, as I want to get 

 out of this place. 



"Yours, 



" Tom Olliver." 



Another time Olliver was, as usual, up to his 

 neck in debt, and didn't know which way to turn. 



