10 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



occurrence ; it was the death of Mr. James Jones. 

 This personage was owner of a property in Surinam, 

 and one of the representatives for the borough of 



bury. A year before his death my late uncle had 



pocketed three thousand pounds, and returned as 

 inoffensive a gentleman as ever snored upon the benches 

 of St. Stephen's. I took his place, next the oaths, 

 and had sufficient grace to sit quiet and listen to other 

 declaimers, who possessed more talent or more impudence 

 than myself. For some time I was rather undecided in 

 my politics ; but the Ministerial were the quieter 

 benches — there I established myself, and for half a 

 session none slept through a debate with a quieter 

 conscience — but, curse upon bHghted beauty, I was not 

 permitted to remain in happy and unambitious celibacy. 

 From my first appearance I had been exposed to 

 distant attacks, but as the weather warmed and the 

 town thinned, my persecutors became more daring 

 in their approaches. Did I venture to a Refugee 

 concert, there I was waylaid by the widow. Did I 

 endeavour to steal a ride in Rotten Row, I was directly 

 hunted off by the dame rouge and that infernal Peer, 

 her father ; and all that was penniless or passe marked 

 me as an object of unrelenting importunity. Eventu- 

 ally, I was driven from every place approachable by 

 woman, and, having no other refuge, turned to the turf, 

 and engaged myself deeply in the Derby. 



That event is over, and I shall write the man " mine 

 enemy " who ever recalls it to my recollection — but 

 as this is a confession to thee, George, I must make a 

 clean breast. I was as well acquainted with the mysteries 

 of a betting-book as I was with the financial department 

 of Timbuctoo ; when luckily " a d d good-natured 



