216 MEN OF MY TIME. 



1 1 don't carry cards. Give me a piece of paper, 

 and I will write my name.' Whilst he was in the 

 act of doing so, Sir William Codrington came out and 

 spoke to him. 



' What brings you here, John,' he said ; ' and can I 

 do anything for you ?' 



' Yes, Sir William,' he replied ; ' I want to see Lord 

 Palmerston, and this man won't let me pass.' 



On his beino- assured it was the regulation of the 

 House, he was satisfied ; but was vexed when Sir 

 William told him that he did not expect for a moment 

 he would see his lordship, as the Irish debate was 

 on, and he would be too much ens'a^ed to leave. 



1 But,' he kindly added, ' I will go and see.' 



To everyone's surprise, the Premier got up and 

 came straight out to my father. After shaking hands, 

 my father heartily congratulated him on his being 

 Premier ; to which his lordship replied : 



' Oh, thanks, John ; I have won my Derby ;' and 

 then inquired how he could serve him. The business 

 which had brought my father to town to see him was 

 to obtain his interest in getting my brother Henry 

 made coroner. His lordship said it should be done ; 

 and shortly after my brother was appointed to the 

 Coronership of Hertfordshire, which he retained to 

 his death, in 1883. Few noblemen, and probably no 

 other commoner, would have done such a thins-. 

 Indeed, he dealt very differently with other people 

 that he employed, none of whom could scarcely ever 



