The History of Samuel Titmarsh, and The Great Hoggarty Diamond

n, as the reader may remember, there was a great mania in the City of London for

had sunk a sum of four hundred pounds in the purchase of an annuity at this office, which paid her no less than six-and-thirty pounds a year, when no other company in London would give her more than twenty-four. The chairman of the directo

rokers' clerks (we commonly dined together at the "Cock and Woolpack," a respectable house, where you get a capital cut of meat, bread, vegetables, cheese, half a pint of porter, and a penny to the waiter, for a shilling)-the young stockbrokers used to tell us of immense bargains in Spanish, Greek, and Columbians, that Brough made. Hoff had nothing to do with them, but stopped at home minding exclusively the business of the house. He was a young chap, very quiet and steady, of the Quaker persuasion, and had been taken into partnership by Brough for a matter of thirty thousand pounds: and a very good bargain too. I was told in the strictest confidence that the house one year with an

mble, th

y jolly

was all the rage then, taken from a famous story-book by one Peacoc

ingle gentleman forming a part of the Independent West Diddlesex Association. The welfare of thousands was in their keeping; millions of money were daily passing through their hands; the City-the country looked upon them for order, honesty, and good example. And if he found amongst those whom he considered as his children-those whom he loved as his own flesh and blood-that that order was departed from, that that regularity was not mai

cept Swinney, who was twelfth clerk, and made believe to whistle. When Mr. B. had wiped his eyes and recovered himself, he turned round

bert Sw

s cool as possible, and some

ever had confided to them the wealth of this mighty capital and famous empire. You found, sir, sobriety, regularity, and decorum; no profane songs were uttered in this place sacred to-to business; no slanders were whispered against the heads of the

he rest," said Swinney. "Di

friend, who is connected in a similar way with our glorious enterprise; and that not one of them is there but has an interest in procuring, at a liberal commission, other persons to join the ranks of our Association. But, sir, I am its chief. You will find, sir, your appointment signed

s' salary, though, Mr. B

e paid to you

nd if you don't pay me my salary, I'll arrest you,-by Jingo,

nd, for the three months' salar

needn't cross it to my banker's. And if any of you gents like a glass of punch this evening at eight o'clock, Bob Swinney's your

impudence, and all burs

led away with his "tile," as he called it, very much on one side. When he was gone, Mr. Brough gave us another lecture, by

in to-day, Roundhand?" h

y 904l. 10s. 6d. Captain Sparr, sir, paid his shares up; grumbles, though,

ways gru

lling to bless himself wi

y m

he office, we used to sit, and laugh, and joke, and read the newspapers all day; bustling into our seats whenever a stray customer came. Brough ne

member, every share you bring in brings you five per cent. down on the nail! Look to your friend

el Titmar

ur dear and excellent parent? In good health I trust? And long-long, I fervently pray, may this office continue to pay her annuity! Remember, if she has more money to lay out, there is higher interest

ainst Swinney; and he began to laugh, as indeed we all did whenever Mr. Brough made

with you on business. Mrs. Brough wants to kno

lite!" said Mr. Roun

Say Saturday, and bring

sure. I should be delight

onour to dine with us, and I want you to see him; for the truth is, I have b

poor fellow led, were sure that the head clerk would be prettily scolded by his lady when she heard what was going on. She disliked Mrs. Brough very much, that was the fact; be

not going to run away! That's right,-seven hundred-and ninety, say, while you're about it! Our board meets on Saturda

ery cordially, got into his carriage-and-four (he always drove four horses even in

together with me in Salisbury Square, Fleet Street-where we occupied a very genteel two-pair-found our flute duet rather tiresome that evening, and as it was a very fine night, strolled out for a walk West End way. When we arrived opposite Covent Garden T

at the head of a table, and in the midst of a great smoke of cigars, and eighteen o

Two more chairs, Mary, two more tumblers, two more hot waters, and two more

only came in by t

very man of the eighteen had said he came by chance! However, chance gave us a ve

nth's salary that I should have had to pay-forfeit-down on the nail, by Jingo! for leaving the shop, as I intended to do to-morrow morning. I've got a place-a tip-top place, I tell you. Five guineas a week, s

naging director (though the real names are neither given to the office nor to the chairman, as you may be s

cially because I had a rich aunt, Mrs. Hoggarty, about whom, as must be confessed, I used to boast a good deal. There is no harm in being respected in this world, as I have found

w that Mrs. Hoggarty, though she had not given me a large sum of money, as I expected-indeed, I had promised a dozen of them a treat down the river, should the promised riches have come to

teen-and-six paid for a silver scissors for the dear little fingers of Somebody), Roundhand, who was very good-natured, asked me to dine, and advanced me 7l. 1s. 8d., a month's salary. It was at Roundhand's house, Myddelton Square, Pentonville, over a fillet of veal and bacon and a glass of port, that I learned and saw how his wife ill-treated him; as I have told befo

the great Hoggarty diamond, and gave us permission; so off we set. When we reached St. Martin's Lane, Gus got a cigar, to give himself as it were a d

chers, to come through (the fashionables wore boots, but we chaps in the City, on 80l. a year, contented ourselves with Bluchers); and as Gus stretched out his pantaloons as wide as he could from his hips, and kept blowi

he window outside. I went in; and after a little hemming and hawing-for I had never been at

lose by, as it happened, serving three ladies,-a very old one and t

I believe, been in your house before: it belonged to my aunt, Mrs. Hoggart

d Mr. Polonius, who made it a point to recollect everything; "and a silv

arty is-no more. My aunt has made me a present, however, of this-this trinket-which, as you see, contains her husband's port

andsomely, of

unt to her. There is a great deal of gold about the tri

goods, certainly," said he; "though the diamond's a neat little bit, certainly. Do, my Lady, look at it. The thing i

u, sir, to talk such nonsense to an old woman like me? Wasn't I fifty years old in '95, and a grandmother in '96?" She put out a pair of with

this talisman that had

, when I had just lost your poor dear grandpapa. These thirteen sthreamers of red hair represent his thirteen celebrated sisters,-Biddy, Minny, Thedy, Widdy (short for Williamina), Freddy, Izzy

t the thirteen ladies above named, and all their lovers, all their disappointments, and all the duels of Mick Hoggarty. She was a chronicle of fifty-years-old scandal. At last she

, "never min

he pin

ing my address: "But, bang it

make a bel

, duke, an

man's abun

, he canna

ut telling these la

to Mr. Titmarsh, No. 3 Bell Lane, Salisbury Square, near St. Brid

?" said Mr

impayable. Come along-here's the carr'age! Give me your arm, Mr.

ough the shop as fast as possible; the

?" said she, poking her sh

m," says I; "I

almost I could say a word, a great powdered fellow in yellow-

t his figure. There stood Gus, his mouth wide open, his eyes staring, a smoking cheroot i

ys Gus: "there's a coronet