52 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



allowed to them. The wages Philip Gosse received were 

 small, but then board and lodging were provided. Wash- 

 ing, however, he had to pay himself, and the following 

 anecdote may be permitted to illustrate the system and 

 his personal economy : — 



" It must have been in the summer of 1829 that I had 

 "been a little exceeding my income, and Mr. Elson had 

 "evidently his eye on my account. One little item 

 " brought matters to a crisis. There suddenly appeared 

 " in the ledger against my name, ' 2 ozs. Cinnamon, i^-.' 

 " This I had got at the shop, to chew, as a little luxury ; 

 "but the skipper noticed it, and, suo more, said nothing 

 "to me, but gave orders to Lush that Philip Gosse must 

 " have nothing more without a note from him. Soon after 

 " this, my laundress applied to me — through her usual 

 " messenger, a buxom daughter — for some goods on 

 "account, for which I, suspecting nothing, gave her a 

 " note in my own hand. This note was dishonoured ; 

 "and a few days later, old Mrs. Rowe herself applies to 

 " Mr. E., who comes with her into the office. It so 

 " happened that I did not recognize her, having generally 

 " done business with one or other of her daughters, and 

 " I took no heed whatever to what she and Mr. E. were 

 " talking about, the chief of the discussion having doubt- 

 "less passed before they entered the office. Mr. E. at 

 " length gave her the note she asked in my name, and 

 " she went out looking daggers at me as she passed. 

 " The skipper presently retired also, saying not a word 

 "to me ; and not till then did I, through St. John's 

 " raillery, who had from the first apprehended the state 

 " of affairs, know what had transpired. Both Durell and 

 "he had wondered at my coolness and nonchalance, 

 " which was now explained. Thenceforward I was more 

 " economical ; and my disbursements, which had not 



