a '*lponp" 203 



was upstairs shaving, and his wife called out to 

 him : 



"William, Mr. Johnson, the Vicar, has called for 

 a subscription for the restoration of our church." 



Billy, who was always rough-and-ready, replied : 



" Gie him a ' pony.' " 



The clergyman, hearing this remark, said to Mrs. 

 Nicholl : 



" I am very sorry, but a 'pony ' would be of no 

 use to me, as I neither ride nor drive." 



She could not help laughing on telling Billy what 

 the clergyman had said, so he called out : 



"Well, gie him a tenner, and tell him to be 

 off." 



On receiving the ^10, Mr. Johnson thanked Mrs. 

 Nicholl with effusion, and went away quite satisfied, 

 little thinking he had lost ^15 by not taking what 

 was first offered him. 



Another anecdote, known probably to many, is 

 worth repeating, as I am assured it is a true 

 one. It may not be generally known that Mr. 

 Nicholl was, and I believe still is, on the Notting- 

 ham Town Council. He attended most of its 

 meetings, but never offered an opinion on any of the 

 moving questions, until one evening there was a 

 very warm discussion being carried on about a wall 



