The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 238: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

TWO FRIENDS 211 relish the vocation. I was thinking of giving up the news- paper, when a vacancy for a prophet suddenly occurred.” ‘‘A prophet?” ejaculated Ben Limber, his eyes staring wide with astonishment. ie i ‘Yes, to be sure,’’ said his friend, coolly, ‘‘ a prophet at a weekly salary of two guineas. You don’t twig, I see. Well, then, I mean a prophet to predict the winning horses at all forthcoming races.” ‘“‘ Ah, I understand,” said Ben Limber. ‘ But how long did you keep that situation? ”’ “Only six months,’? responded Mr. Bealby, “for the truth is that in no single instance did I ever predict ac- curately. Not that in this respect I was in any way worse than the prophets on other newspapers, only the proprietor of the one to which I belonged was rather particular, and he thought that a prophet ought to predict right at least once out of twenty times. So he discharged me, and I was again thrown upon the world.”’ ‘‘ And what did you do then?” asked Ben Limber. “T got up a benefit society,’’ replied Mr. Bealby. “A benefit society? ’’ echoed his friend. ‘‘ For whose benefit? ”’ ‘For my own,” was the response. ‘“ It was ostensibly for the advantage of the working classes, but in reality for mine. Every one who paid a few pence a week was to have fifteen shillings a week during illness, to be buried, when he died, with a good walking funeral, and his widow to have a ten-pound note to buy mourning for herself and the children. I was secretary and treasurer and auditor and manager — I think I was the committee too, but I know very well that I was the principal recipient of the society’s benefits. At last there was an exposure and an inquiry; I was summoned before the magistrate, but I had taken very good care not to have the society enrolled, and therefore his worship had no power of jurisdiction. The case was dis- missed, and in order that the members should not fall into’ most unchristian feuds amongst themselves relative to the division of the remaining funds, I put them into my own pocket, and bidding an eternal farewell to the ungrateful neighbourhood .of Whitechapel where the exposure had taken place, I established my quarters in another.” .“ And what was the next course? ”’ inquired Ben. COMIC OOO <S (CO)