The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-16 00:00:00

The Soi-disant Earl "at the Shootings."

On Monday a young man with a " swellish" make-up,
and having with him a young man:of more plebeian exterior,
wlipm ho called his valet, entered the Tontine Hotel at
Greenock, and wanted to hire apartments for, a week, re-
presenting that he was on his way to shootings in the
Highlands, and that ho expected his wife, servants, and
luggage to join him immediately from London. He gave
his address as "the Earl of Cambridge." He looked about
24 years of age, had a roundish face, browned by recent
exposure to weather, thin dark moustache, longish hair,
cheeks shaved, wore a seedy brown suit, and a naval cap
ith a stuck-out peak, faded gold tinsey band, and a small
ornamental flag stuck in front. His ".valet" was about his
own ago, and was plainer in appearance. The "earl's"
appearance excited the suspicion of the waiter, the more
especially that he condescended to hob-nob and drink
brandy, which he ordered and paid for, with his valet.
The earl asked where he could get the services of a tailor,
as he wanted some new clothing before proceeding to
the shooting. He was told he could avail himself of the
services of Mr. Macara, tailor and clothier, immediately
opposite. He sent for Mr. Mac,ara's foreman to the hotel,
and proceeded to negotiate for a thorough renovation of
his wardrobe, a thing that the earl seemed rather in
need of. "Have you any clothes ready made 2" inquired
the earl. "Nothing that I remember," said the fore-
man, "except a reefing jacket, which you can try on
if you step across to the shop." They did step across ;
the reefing jacket was found to suit to admiration, and the
earl kept it on. Ho also got a pair of gloves, which he
put on—and we should not omit to say that both his hands
and feet were small and "aristocratic." Having got mea-
sured for black trousers, a shooting coat, and half a dozen
white vests, all of which were to be made up for him im-
mediately and sent over to his hotel, ho left considerably
imprpved in his outer man by the new gloves and the reefing
coat. Feeling that he was getting on swimmingly ho lighted
a cigar, and, still accompanied by his valet, walked into the
shop of Mr. Craig, hatter and glover, corner of Mansion-
house-lane, where ho found a young man at the counter.
It was now two o'clock in the day. lie asked for handker-
chiefs, but turned up his nose at those first shown him as
too common ; ho wanted laco handerchiefs. The shop-
man showed him a superior sort, and he bought half a
dozen of these, putting one of them in his pocket. He
pulled off the gloves he got in Mr. illacara's shop, throw-
ing them to his valet, who put themin his own pocket. He
then ordered half a dozen of the finest scarfs, though even
the finest shown him did not come up to his taste. Ho or-
dered half a dozen pairs of gloves, putting on and retain-
ing one pair. Ile ordered some lavender kids, some neck-
ties, half a dozen pairs of hose "fitted for the moors," seve-
ral shooting caps, preferring the Cambridge pattern. Ho

wanted the shopman to go out with him to have a glass of
something, but the latter excused himself by saying that
he could not then leave the shop. " We'll send for it," said
his lordship ; and pitching money to his valet, the latter
disappeared for a few minutes, and then returned and placed
on the counter two tumblers, each containing a glass of
brandy and a bottle of lemonade. Wondrous condescen-
sion ! thought the shopman, for an earl to stand treat at a
shop counter. The earl merely tasted tholiquor, and soalso
did the shopman, after which the valet lifted the drinking
utensils and returned them to where he got them. "Send
over the rest of the goods to the Tontine to the Earl of
Cambridge, and I will send back my valet with themoney,"
said the earl, about to leave with the handkerchief and
gloves, and the shopman was making his best'bow te„:,Lis
noble customer, when who should enter the shop but Mr.
Macara who stepped up to the earl, and touching him fa-
miliarly on the arm, said, "My jacket and gloves ! You
must either pay for them or let mo have them back." The
earl looked dumfoundered ; but suddenly regaining his self-
possession, he threw down his almost exhausted cigar, and
followed Mr. Macara to his shop, where he condescended
to throw off the jacket and pay for tho gloves he had car-
ried off. He immediately returned to Mr. Craig's shop, and
told the shopman not to fail to send the goods to his hotel.
The shopman by this time thought something was wrong,
and said he must be paid for the goods before sending them.
The earl said he always preferred getting delivery of goods
before paying, but in this instance ho would consent first
to send his valet over with the cash. lie and his valet
then left the shop, and are supposed to have gone direct
down to the steamboat quay, and there embarked, for in a
short time thereafter, when wanted by the police they
were not to be found.—North British Daily Mail.