Thackeray As A Showman

Ycars ago, when Thaekeray was delivcring lus luetures on " Tne Georgos" and tho " Kt-glish Wits aiid lluuioiiscs" to large aucueuces in a city, he uskud a distinguished literarv man what chuïco of succcss thero would bo in a er taiu othor city not inany miles away. " 1 ïvaüy don't know, Mr. Thaokeray," was tho repljr' " 1 never suceeedud thore. Bnt I urn nooody, and .you are a jrroat gun ; it suems to me you ought to succced itnywhere. Still, I oanuot uouscionious ly ad vise you to maku the attompt. You u-ight jmssibly inil, and lay tile blanio on DM.'' Aittit sonio reflection hc added : " Ferhapa ii' you were to makc a special locturo, compounded of the best and most diverting parts ot' two or more of your seiius, you might draw a tolerably good house. But I will not guarantue any thiog." Thackeray thought tho matter over, accepted the suggestion, madci in tte uorapound leeturO) udvertised, " billed the tjwn," uiiil wi-ntover. üu his return bis friend met him on the cars, aud after tho usual grooting, 3aid : " Well, sir, bow did you make out 'r" "Oh !" said TUackeiay, merrily, " I have been playing the mouatebank for sixpenco." " What do you mpan by that P" " Ttn: night, you know, was a wretehed ane : the audionce was thin, not abpve iit'ty or sixty persons, and a tuore '.;uii_-t nid absolutely sober set I h 'vo never atLempted to entertain. I did my best, but ■so profouud was thcir respect - their awe. L may say - of that not a rnunuur of !tppluue, not a ghost of a sinile, oscaped them. Solemnly. sinceroiy, piously taey itared at me. I do beheve iliey thoughi I was preaohing a funeral sermón. At the closu of the locture I fully expected a Coiiiüiittee to come forward and request a copy of my obit'iiry on thy Oeoigos lor ! iublication in the morning paper, and I feit di.sappointed that the doorkeeper did not stoj) me as I went out to put cripe on ny arm and a weeper on my hat. It was ti'uiy á solerán anJ refreshing season. "The next morning, after paying my idvertising bill and hotel charges, I found [ had cleared enough to pay my return fure to this place, aud five dt'llnrs over. üoneratulating mysolf on thia fact, I strüde' jubilantly down to the station, and was in the act of stepping on the train, nhes I feit myself touched on tho back. Turuing around I beheld a small man with the aspect of a turnkey, who, in no coinplimcnt.iry terms, made inquiry : " 'Aiii't you a man by the name of Thackeray 'i' "'That's the name, sir.' " 'Well, didu't you givo a showhore last night y' " 'Why, yos, I think it was decidudly a ' show.' ' " " Well, thar's a law in this town that any man that gives a show has got to pay üve dollars license for a-givin' uv thu show, ;unl you did'i't pay no license; and I'm the nárgbht of this town, and heru's tho bill, and you've got to pay it before you kin get to git in them keers.' " This was too good. I handed the fierce little sergeant the five dollars, paid my railroad i'aifi out.of my own pocket, and so," concluded Thackeray, with a jolly langh, "I played tho mountebank for sixpence, and upon my honor I enjoyed it."-