162 INTELLIGENCE 



the man's ingenious manner of living made known, while 

 the very easy method in which he provided himself with 

 a pair of handsome carriage horses, at the expense of a 

 young coach-proprietor, was jocosely exposed ; even the 

 hospitable treatment of his gentlemanly visitor was 

 named, as well as the chronometer and its appendages, 

 the writers intending — good-naturedly, no doubt, for I 

 knew pretty well Avhere they got their information — to 

 show up the dupe as well as the artful professor of practi- 

 cal economy. I took it in good part, as I did the banter- 

 ing of my friend, who was not behind the rest in roasting 

 me for my credulity. 



However, the paragraph had the desired effect. Among 

 the victims of the blandishments of this hero was a linen- 

 draper, of whom he had purchased goods to the amount 

 of about £2 lO.s-., for which he tendered him a bill for 

 £20, receiving the difference in cash. Two or three 

 mornings after the issue of the paper, this person came 

 to me with a letter he had that morning received from a 

 young man at Reading, Avho had lived shopman Avith 

 him, stating that a gentleman and lady had driven into 

 the town in a phaeton and pair of bay horses, ansAvering 

 in every way the description given in the HampHliire Tele- 

 graph. Thither I was determined to proceed, offering to 

 take the linendraper with me, free of expense, but arrang- 

 ing, at the same time, that if we thought it necessary to 

 follow in pursuit beyond that place, Ave were to share the 

 expense. 



I then had my horse put to, drove with him to Peters- 

 field, took a second horse out of the mail stables, and 

 arrived at Reading about dusk. After taking some 



