ii8 iRibino IRecoUcctions auD XTuit Stones 



My friend suggested a drink, and I think I 

 concurred. Presently he remarked : 



" I am not a rich man, and can't afford a large 

 present, but should like to gi'^'e you something in 

 remembrance of your winning, I am a dealer in 

 rugs, and if you will accept one, and tell me where 

 to send it, you shall have a good one." 



I thought, "Well, this is too good a joke to miss," 

 so I told him to send it to Webb's Hotel, Piccadilly, 

 where part of the present Criterion stands, which was 

 kept at that time by my old friend Mr. Challis, who 

 now has the Royal Hotel, in Rupert Street, On 

 reaching the hotel I said to the porter : " If a parcel 

 comes here addressed to Mr. Fordham, please send 

 it up to my room." Sure enough it arrived the 

 next morning, and contained a real good skin rug. 

 A few days afterwards I went to Slough to spend 

 a week with George, and when I got into the house, 

 Mrs. Fordham remarked : 



" What a swell rug you have got, Cus !" 



I answered : " Yes ; and I came by it in a very 

 funny way." 



And then I told her all the circumstances. 



She directly said : " Well, of course you will give 

 it to George," 



1 answered: " Certainly not ; it was bad enough 



