Memoirs Of Joseph Grimaldi

84 MEMOIRS OF JOSEPH GKIMALDI.

" I would in a minute," said his Mend, " but I have not got

any money."

Grrimaldi thrust his hand into his right pocket with one of his
queerest faces, then into his left, then into his coat pockets, then
into his waistcoat, and finally took off his hat and looked into
that; tut there was no money anywhere.

They still walked on towards the public-house, meditating
with rueful countenances, when Grrimaldi spying something
lying at the foot of a tree, picked it up, and suddenly exclaimed,
with a variety of winks and nods, "Here's a sixpence."

The hungry friend's eyes brightened, but they quickly re-
sumed their gloomy expression as he rejoined, " It's a piece of
tin!"

Crrimaldi winked again, rubbed the sixpence or the piece of
tin very hard, and declared, putting it between his teeth by
•way of test, that it was as good a sixpence as he would wish to
#ee.

" I don't think it," said the friend, shaking his head.
"I'll tell you what," said Grrimaldi, "we'll go to the public-
house, and ask the landlord whether it's a -good one, or not.
They always know."

To iMs the friend assented, and they hurried Qn, disputing- all
tiie way whether it was xeally a sixpence, or not; a discovery
which could not be made at that time, when the currency was
•defaced and worn nearly plain, with tiie ease with which it
«<could fee made at present.

,, The publican, ,a fat, jolly fellow, was standing at his door,
talking to a friend, and the house looked so uncommonly com*
Jortable, iihat Gromery whispered : as rthey apprqaehed, that
perhaps it might be best to have some bread and cheese first,
and ask about the sixpence afterwards.

Grrimaldi nodded his entire assent, and they went in and
ordered .some bread and chepse, ,and beer, paying taken the
fidge off their hunger, they tossed up a farthing which .Chimaldi evening's performance.