A FORTUNE OUT OF WAGES. 3g7 



managed to send to school and bring- up on this 

 liberal pay of one pound a week, and out of it in 

 a very short time was able to save £300. This for 

 secrecy, safe keeping, and adding to his store a little 

 by way of interest, he placed in a bank in the town, 

 which very unfortunately for him suspended payment, 

 and he lost it. Mr. Simpson, seeing his name on the 

 list of creditors, condoled with him, and said he 

 should have placed the money with him, where it at 

 least would have been safe ; and offered to take charge 

 of any other little sum the groom might have over 

 and above his weekly requirements. This offer 

 Sturgeon readily accepted, and began again to build 

 up another little fortune, which he accomplished 

 speedily; but that also, like the first, was lost shortly 

 afterwards, and by a most singular coincidence exactly 

 the same amount, through Mr. Simpson's suspendin^- 

 payment. Of the truth of this romantic tale there 

 can be no doubt, as Sturgeon told it me himself, and 

 said it was ' a hard case for a labouring man to have 

 two such heavy losses in so short a time.' It would 

 be still more interesting to know exactly how he got 

 the money together. 



I have not the least desire to be censorious, especially 

 as to the actions of a gentleman with whom I was on 

 friendly terms ; but I must confess that I sometimes 

 had my suspicions that Mr. Simpson's eccentricity at 

 times reached a point when he was inclined to regard 

 somewhat obliquely the rights of others. But as 



