Out rushed the servants, out poured the gents of
the hunt, and on trotted poor me, digging into the donkey, and everybody
dying with laughter at me.
Just as I got up to the door, a horse came galloping up, and passed me;
a man jumped down, and taking off a fantail hat, came up, very gravely,
to help me down.
"Squire," says he, "how came you by that there hanimal? Jist git down,
will you, and give it to its howner?"
"Rascal!" says I, "didn't you ride off on my horse?"
"Was there ever sich ingratitude?" says the Spicy. "I found this year
'oss in a pond, I saves him from drowning, I brings him back to his
master, and he calls me a rascal!"
The grooms, the gents, the ladies in the balcony, my own servants, all
set up a roar at this; and so would I, only I was so deucedly ashamed,
as not to be able to laugh just then.
And so my first day's hunting ended. Tagrag and the rest declared I
showed great pluck, and wanted me to try again; but "No," says I, "I
HAVE been."
THE FINISHING TOUCH.
I was always fond of billiards: and, in former days, at Grogram's in
Greek Street, where a few jolly lads of my acquaintance used to meet
twice a week for a game, and a snug pipe and beer, I was generally voted
the first man of the club; and could take five from John the marker
himself.
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