I must here take the opportunity of specially thanking three of my fellow Committee-men, and two other friends, for the trouble they have taken in various ways to lighten my work. If this book at all fulfils the objects for which it has been written, the thanks of my readers, as well as my own, will be due to
E. M. Atkins, Esq., of Kingstone Lisle.
Mr. William Whitfield of Uffington.
Mr. Heber Humfrey of Kingstone Farm; and to
John Y. Akerman, Esq., Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries; and
Mr. Luke Lonsley, of Hampsted Norris, Berks.
And now, without further preface, we commend our stir-about to Englishmen in general, and west-countrymen in particular.
CHAPTER I
Richard, said our governor, as I entered his room at five oclock on the afternoon of the 31st of August, 1857, running his pen down the columns of the salary-book, your quarter-day to-day, I think? Let me see; you were raised to £ a-year in February last, so much for quarters salary, and so much for extra work. I am glad to see that you have been working so steadily; youll deserve your holiday, and enjoy it all the more. Youll find that all right, I think; and he pushed a small paper across the table towards me, on which my account was stated in our cashiers hand, and looked at me over his spectacles.
My heart jumped at the mention of my holiday; I just ran my eye down the figures, and was glad to find the total a pound or two higher than I had expected. For I had lately learnt shorthand, and had been taking notes for our firm, for which I found they allowed me extra pay.
Quite right, Sir, I said; and Im sure Im much obliged to you, Sir, for letting me do the extra work, because
Well, never mind that, said he, with a little laugh; I shouldnt give you the extra work, Richard, if it didnt suit me, or if I could get it better done anywhere else; so the accounts all square on that point. Theres your money.
And he pushed over to me a very nice sum of money. I dare say you would like to know what it was, reader. Now, Im not going to tell you. Why should you know just what my income is? I dont owe you or any one else five shillings, and have a very tidy account at the savings bank, besides having paid for all the furniture and books in my room, not very far from Lambsconduit Street, which I reckon to be worth fifty pounds of any mans money; so you see my income is enough to keep me before the world, and I wish more of you could say as much.
Im very much obliged, Sir, said I again, as I wrote a receipt over a stamp which I took out of my pocket-book, and stuck on to the bottom of the account.
No, youre not, said our governor, quite short; its your own money, fairly earned. Youre not obliged to any man for giving you whats your own. He is such an odd fellow about these things. But mind you, I think hes quite right, too; for, after all, no doubt each of us earns a good penny for him over and above what he pays us, else why should he keep us on? but, somehow, one cant help thanking any one who pays one money; at least, I cant.
Now, as to your holiday, went on our governor. Theres Jobson went for his fortnight on the 30th; hell be back on the 14th of September, at latest. You can take any time you like, after that.
Then, Sir, said I directly, I should like it as soon as possible.
Very well, said he; Tuesday the 16th to Tuesday the 29th of September, both inclusive; and he made a note in another book which lay on his desk. Good evening, Richard.
Good evening, Sir, said I; and away I went down to our room in as good spirits as any young fellow in our quarter of London.
Of course all the other clerks began shouting out at once to know how much money Id got, and when I was going to have my holiday. Well, I didnt tell them what money I had, any more than Ive told you, because I like to keep my own counsel about such matters. Besides, there are several of our clerks whose ways I dont at all like; so I dont do any thing I can help which might look as if I liked them. No! hands off, is my motto with these sort of chaps.
Im sure theres no pride about me, though. My names Easy, and always was; and I like every fellow, whatever his coat is, who isnt always thinking about the cut of it, or what he has in the pocket of it. But, goodness knows, I cant stand a fellow who gives himself airs, and thinks himself a chalk above everybody who cant dress and do just as he can. Those chaps, I always see, are just the ones to do lick-spittle to those that they think have more in their pockets than themselves.
But I must get on with my story, for you dont all want to know my opinions about the clerks in our office, I dare say.
Well, when I got down, as I said before, we were all just on the move, (business hours being from nine till six in our office,) taking down coats and hats, and clearing desks for the night, so I just sidled up to Jem Fisher, and little Neddy Baily, who are the two I like best, and told them to come up to my room to supper at eight oclock, which they of course were very glad to promise to do, and then I went off to get ready for them.
Jem Fisher and I are very fond of a dish which I believe very few of you ever heard of. One Sunday in May, a year or two back, he and I had been down beyond Notting Hill, listening to the nightingales; and coming back, we walked through Kensington Gardens, and came out at the gate into the Notting Hill Road, close to Hyde Park. We were late, for us, so we hailed a bus, and got on the box. The driver was full of talk about all the fine people he had been seeing walking in the gardens that afternoon, and seemed to think it hard he couldnt enjoy himself just as they did. However, gentlemen, said he at last, theres some things as the haristocracy aint alive to. Did you ever eat cow-heel? Perhaps Jem, who had all his best clothes on, didnt mind being taken for one of the aristocracy; at least just for a minute, for hes too good a fellow to like being taken for anybody but himself when he comes to think of it; at any rate, he and I took to eating cow-heel from that time. So the first thing I did, after going home and locking up most of my money, and speaking to my landlady, who is the best old soul alive if you take her in her own way, was, to set off to Clare Market, and buy some cow-heel and sausages; and on my way back through the Turnstile, I thought, as it was so hot, I would have some fruit too; so I bought a pottle of plums and a piece of a pine-apple, and got home.
They came in sharp to time, and I and my landlady had every thing ready, and two foaming pewter pots full of bitter beer and porter. So we had a capital supper, and then cleared it all away, and sat down to eat the fruit and have a quiet pipe by the time it began to get dark.
And so, said little Neddy, (he is only just eighteen, and hasnt been in our office a year yet; but hes such a clever, industrious little chap, that he has gone over the heads of half a dozen of our youngsters, and hasnt stopped yet by a long way,) youre off on the 15th! wish I was. Well, heres luck any how, said he, nodding to me, and taking a bite out of a slice of pine-apple.
Gentle Shepherd, tell me where? said Jem Fisher. (Jem is very fond of quoting poetry; not that I think half that he quotes is real poetry, only how is one to find him out? Jem is a tall, good-looking fellow, as old as I am, and thats twenty-one last birthday; we came into the office together years ago, and have been very thick ever since, which I sometimes wonder at, for Jem is a bit of a swell Gentleman Jem they call him in the office.) Now, Dick, where are you bound for?