An attenuated disciple of the ill-paid art which has been described as one
embracing the "delightful task which teaches the young idea how to shoot,"
in a fit of despair, being but little skilled in the above sporting
accomplishment, endeavoured to cheat nature of its right of killing by
trying the efficacy of a small hanging match, in which he suicidically
"doubled" the character of criminal and Jack Ketch. Upon being asked by
the redoubtable Civic Peter what he meant by such conduct, he attempted to
urge the propriety of the proceeding according to the scholastic rules of
the ancients. "It may," replied Sir Peter, "be very well for those chaps
to hang themselves, as they are out of my jurisdiction; but I'll let you
see you are wrong, as
[Illustration: A GRAMMARIAN DECLINING TO BE.]
* * * * *