isposed of his 5,000_l_.
worth of shares to a pretty good profit, and went away, speaking
everything that was evil both of the Company and the Director.

Mr. Highmore now became secretary and actuary, Mr. Abednego was first
clerk, and your humble servant was second in the office at a salary of
250_l_. a year. How unfounded were Mr. Roundhand's aspersions of the
West Diddlesex appeared quite clearly at our meeting in January, 1823,
when our Chief Director, in one of the most brilliant speeches ever
heard, declared that the half-yearly dividend was 4_l_. per cent., at the
rate of 8_l_. per cent. per annum; and I sent to my aunt 120_l_. sterling
as the amount of the interest of the stock in my name.

My excellent aunt, Mrs. Hoggarty, delighted beyond measure, sent me back
10_l_. for my own pocket, and asked me if she had not better sell
Slopperton and Squashtail, and invest all her money in this admirable
concern.

On this point I could not surely do better than ask the opinion of Mr.
Brough. Mr. B. told me that shares could not be had but at a premium;
but on my representing that I knew of 5,000_l_. worth in the market at
par, he said--"Well, if so, he would like a fair price for his, and would
not mind disposing of 5,000_l_. worth, as he had rather a glut of West
Diddlesex shares, and his other concerns wanted feeding with ready
money." At the end of our conversation, of which I promised to report
the purport to Mrs. Hoggarty, the Director was so kind as to say that he
had determined on creating a place of private secretary to the Managing
Director, and that I should hold that office with an additional salary of
150_l_.

I had 250_l_. a year, Miss Smith had 70_l_. per annum to her fortune.
What had I said should be my line of conduct whenever I could realise
300_l_. a year?

Gus of course, and all the gents in our office through him, knew of my
engagement with Mary Smith. Her father had been a commander in the navy
and a very distinguished officer; and though Mary, as I have said, only
brought me a fortune of 70_l_. a year, and I, as everybody said, in my
present position in the office and the City of London, might have
reasonably looked out for a lady with much more money, yet my friends
agreed that the connection was very respectable, and I was content: as
who would not have been with such a darling as Mary? I am sure, for my
part, I would not have taken the Lord Mayor's own daughter in place of
Mary, even w