s after the
accident, the whole sum of 1000 pounds will be paid to my family."

Mrs Tipps smiled and nodded her head approvingly, but Mrs Marrot still
looked dubious.

"But, sir," she said, "supposin' you don't get either hurt or killed?"

"Why then," replied the elderly gentleman, "I'm all right of course, and
only 50 shillings out of pocket, which, you must admit, is but a
trifling addition to the expenses of a three months' tour. Besides,
have I not had three months of an easy mind, and of utter regardlessness
as to my life and limbs? Have not my wife and boys had three months of
easy minds and indifference to my life and limbs also! Is not all that
cheaply purchased at 30 shillings? while the sum itself, I have the
satisfaction of knowing, goes to increase the funds of that excellent
company which enables you and me and thousands of others to become so
easy-minded and reckless, and which, at the same time, pays its
fortunate shareholders a handsome dividend."

"Really, sir," said Mrs Tipps, laughing, "you talk so enthusiastically
of this Insurance Company that I almost suspect you to be a director of
it."

"Madam," replied the elderly gentleman with some severity, "if I _were_
a director of it, which I grieve to say I am not, I should only be doing
my simple duty to it and to you in thus urging it on your attention.
But I am altogether uninterested in it, except as a philanthropist. I
see and feel that it does good to myself and to my fellow-men,
_therefore_ I wish my fellow-men to appreciate it more highly than they
do, for it not only insures against accident by railway, but against all
kinds of accidents; while its arrangements are made to suit the
convenience of the public in every possible way."

"Why, madam," he continued, kindling up again and polishing his head
violently, "only think, for the small sum of 4 pounds paid annually, it
insures that you shall have paid to your family, if you chance to be
killed, the sum of 1000 pounds, or, if not killed, 6 pounds a week while
you are totally laid up, and 1 pound, 10 shillings a week while you are
only partially disabled. And yet, would you believe it, many persons
who see the value of this, and begin the wise course of insurance, go on
for only a few years and then foolishly give it up--disappointed, I
presume, that no accident has happened to them! See, here is one of
their pamphlets!"

He pulled a paper out of his pocket energetically, and put on