I've waited these many years, expecting some one or another would give a
full and true account of it all, but little thinking it would ever come
to be my task; for it's not in my way. But seeing how much has been
said about other parts and other people's sufferings, while ours never
so much as came in for a line of newspaper, I can't think it's fair; and
as fairness is what I always did like, I set to, very much against my
will; while, on account of my empty sleeve, the paper keeps slipping and
sliding about, so that I can only hold it quiet by putting the lead
inkstand on one corner, and my tobacco-jar on the other. You see, I'm
not much at home at this sort of thing; and though, if you put a pipe
and a glass of something before me, I could tell you all about it,
taking my time like, it seems that won't do. I said: "Why don't you
write it down as I tell it, so as other people could read all about it?"
But "No," he says; "I could do it in my fashion; but I want it to be in
your simple unadorned style; so set to and do it."
I daresay a good many of you know me--seen me often in Bond-street, at
Facet's door--Facet's, you know, the great jeweller's, where I stand and
open carriages, or take messages, or small parcels with no end of
valuables in them; for I'm trusted. Smith, my name is--Isaac Smith; and
I'm that tallish grisly fellow with the seam down one side of his face,
his left sleeve looped up to the button, and not a speck to be seen on
that "commissionnaire's" uniform, upon whose breast there are three
medals.
I was standing one day, waiting patiently for something to do, when a
tallish gentleman came up, nodded as if he knew me well; and I saluted.
"Lose that limb in the Crimea, my man?"
"No, sir; Mutiny," I said, standing as stiff as use had made nature with
me.
And then he asked me a heap more questions; and I answered him; and the
end of it was, that one evening I went to his house, and he had me in,
and did what was wanted to set me off. I'd had a little bit of an
itching to try something of the kind, I must own, for long enough; but
his words started me; and in consequence I got a quire of the best
foolscap paper, and a pen'orth of pens; and here's my story.
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