The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-18 00:00:00

THE QUAKER AND THE EARL OF DERBY

In the days when Preston was considered " fashion-
able," ere the requirements of trade had swallowed up
nearly every vestige of green parks and .ipacious gardens
formerly connected with many town residences—there
were in Stoneygate several -neat villas, surrounded by
shady trees and luxurious orchards. One of these was
occupied by a rather eccentric Quaker, named John •
Danson. The house which John occupied was owned by
the Earl of Derby, of sporting notoriety. In their
early days the embryo Earl and the Quaker boy
had been school fellows at the Preston Grammar
School, which was then in Stoneygate. The
Quaker had been for some time very tardy in paying
up his rent, and Mr. Baines, the Earl's agent, had on
sundry occasions threatened him with a descent of the
" Philistines," in the shape of bailiffs. Oue morning he
started off on foot to Knowsley, and gaining admission to
the park, walked up to the hall door and- rang. On the
footman answering the bell John put the simple question
—" Is Edward in?" "Edward I" exclaimed the
astonished lackey, " what Edward do you mean?'
" Edward Stanley. He lives here, doesn't he ? Is
he in ? I want to see him," replied the Quaker.
" Go away, you impertinent fellow !' was the indignant
rejoinder, and the footman slammed the door in till-
Quaker's face. But John was not to be discouraged bi
this ungracious reception ; he had come to see the earl,
and did see him. The lackey eventually took in his name,
and John was immediately ushered into the presence of
the noble earl, whom he saluted with—" Well, Edward,
how art thou getting ?"=" Very well, thank you, John, '
replied his lordship, extendinghis hand and warmly
shaking that of his visitor. " It's a long time
since thee and me went to Preston Grammar
School together," added the blunt Quaker."—" It
is indeed, John, a very long time," replied his
lordship. '• lam very glad to see you. How are you
Knowsley?
a long ? And what has brought you over to
ICnowsley?" " I am sorry to say," responded John,
" that I've but been getting on very badly lately. I
cannot raise brass to pay my rent, and that man of thine
at Preston Baines—he's a vast saucy fellow—says if I
don't pay up before next Thursday he'll send th' bums.
So I've come to as thee to give me a bit longer time.'
" Well, John," said his lordship, " I suppose you've
been rather unfOrtunate lately so' I'll forgive you the
rent altogether. And," added his lordship, " I'll tell you
what I'll do further. You may live in the house rent
free as long as you do live." John's protestations of grati-
tude for this act of generosity were unbounded. -
He took his departure from Knowsley with
a -much lighter heart than w hen a »roaciiing it.
Some time after John's visit to Knowde , g one
the race weeks, Lord Derby, when proceeding to Cock
Pit to join in his favourite sport, met John in Stoneygate,
when after a friendly salute, the latter said, " I see, Ed-
ward, thou hasn't given up shy silly, sinful practices yet !"
" No, John," replied the Earl, " I have not ! But if all
my tenants paid their rents as you do, I should very soon
have to give it up altogether." And with this rebuke his
lordship walked on.—Oldhala Standard.

THE .‘.TRE ROYAL, HAY MARKET.
Sole Lessee, Mr. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING, at 7 o'clock, NO SOING NO SUPPER: %lr.
Kendal, Mr. Compton, Mr. Edward Osborne, Mr. Clark; Miss F.
Wright, Miss Francis, Miss Fosbroke. and Miss F. Gwynne.
Aft r which, at 8 precisely, B RWISE'S BOOK: Mr. Sothern,
Mr. Chippendale, Mr Compton, Mr. Kendal, Mr. Buckstone; Miss
Robertson, Mrs. Frank Matthews, and Miss Fanny Gwynne
And (by desire) A REGULAR FIX: Mr. Sothern,
Concluding with A IKSS IN THE DARK.

LYCEUM THEATRE (under the management
of Messrs Mansell)
THIS EVE ING, at 7.30, WOOING ONE'S WIFE. Mr F.
Charles and Miss L. Morgan.
At 8, BREAKING THE SPELL.
After which, at P. 30, LITTLE F RUST: Mr. T. Maclagan, 31.
Marius, Mr. Aynsley Cook, Mr. Odell, and Mr. Wilmot; Mdlle.
Debreux, Mesdames Lennox G:ey, Lawson, Lee, and Emily
Soldene.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Sole Lessee and :lanageress, Mrs. Swanborough.
THIS ENENING, at 7 o'clock, WIDOW'S WEEDS. Messrs.
Crouch, Turner, and Mesdames E. Burton a- d Anstiss.
Followed by SIR GEORGE AND A DRAGON. Messrs James,
Terry, Fenton; Mesdames 7iant ey, Dashwood, Goalall, Hughes,
A nstis and Metcalfe.
And A FISH OUT OF WATER