The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-30

genial cynic enjoyed the situation and the dicners as much as his entertainers did, though he must have been veXed at times that the moral of the story was so en- tirely lost But what could one wish? Thackeray worked not especially for h's time but for posterity. q He got the best out of life that he could and left be- hind something which makes life better worth living.
 AMUEL COX was the proprietor of a
 hourishing barber's business in o neat shop in the neighborhood of Oxford Market, London; of a wife, Mrs. Cox, whom he called Jemmy fand whose name was Jemima) of a girl. Jemima- ram, aged IS; boy, Tuggeridgc aged l3. and of a young apprentice, Orlando Crump. Jemimarann was at school at Hackney; Tuggeridge was learning 10 cur and curl hair beautifully; Mrs. Cox pre- sided behind the counter with trays of patent soaps and sold Cox's celebrated basam of Tokay, so beneficial for the hair They let out the upper floors in lodgings. Altogether they were very prosperous, happy and contented family. and looked forward to marriage between Orlando Crump, the apprentice. ard Jemi- maiann as a sure thing for the future.
 To be sure Mrs. Cox. who was a woman or spirit, had her grievance. Cox had married her without penny. Her father had kept the celebrated tripe shop near the Pig and Sparrow, In Whitechapel
 ad and Cox was immensely fond of tripe especially when served to him by Jenmy--the dear thing. Mir. Tuggeridge however, in spite of the excellence of his tripe failed in business and died. But what did Cox care? He had his hands, his house and his celebrated balsam of 'rokay to support Jemmy. And they had hopes of Mrs. Cox's uncle, mighty rich old East Indian merchant, who had left homie slime 60 years before as cabin boy and arrived at the head of great East Indian house, and was worth mil Hon. they were told.
 Three years after the birth of Jemi- 1rarann-and two years after the demise of Cox's iamented father-in-law-the na- hob retired from business, handed over his affairs in India to his son, John Tug geldge, and came to live in England at Pc,tlard Place, London, and Tuggeridge- vile. Surrey.
 Jcnmy took her daughter by the hand ard went to visit her rich uncle-as in duty bound. But whether it was because he was so surly, or because Jemmy was a little sharp with him-Jemmy feared mo- body, let me tell you--a desperate quarrel took rlace between them, and from that day to the day of his death Jemmy and her uncle never set eyes on each other. Uncle Tuggeridge, however, ordered a. few bottles of lavender water every year from Cox, and sent his servants to be shaved and have their hair cut at his nephew's establishment. On great days, too, Cox used to powder the footmen. Cox never saw him but once. and then he turned ua lils nose and said, "Oh, the barber!'
 All the neighborhood laughed at this poor CT ding of the great expectations of the barber's family-for Jemmy had be- fore that bra gged not little of her rich uncle. But Cox did not care, the connec- ton was a good one, and he served MT. Hook, the valet: MT Bar, the coachman, and Mrs. Breadbasket, the nousekeeper, quite willingly.
 One day the whole neighborhood was thrown into state of the greatest ex- citement by the appearance before the barbers door of no less than three car riages in succession First to arrive was Mrs. Ereadbasket in a cab. Mrs. Cox who respected Mrs. Breadbasket more than any one else in the world-seeing that the housekeeper was in 8 state of grea. excitement, set her a chair and offered, ner glass of wine. II
 "La, rilehr." says Mrs. Breadbasket when she had recovered her breath, q am sure would do anything in the world 10 serve your family for the sake of poor dear Tuck-Tuck-tug-g -guggeridge that's gone.'. That's what?" screamed Jem- my Then in tumbled Mir. Bar before the housekeeper could say another word and Cox, in. state of great excitement, had him in a chair and the lather brush play inG about his face in a jiffy in spite of his protestations. Between mouthfuls of lather Bar managed to say that he felt the; s"-lather-'which has spread"-- lsther,-.' 'desolation" "-lather-'.in your'-. Ia Iather-''famlly
 And then in rushed MT. Hook saying: What, you here, MT. Bar? and you, Mrs. Breadbasket?'' It was a fact-old Tug geridge was dead and the heads of his domestic establishment had lost no time fin hastening to pay their duty at the shrine of his sole heir, Mrs. Jemima Cox! A lawyer came a little later, and. an. nouncing himself as MT. Sharpus, so- licited the kind consideration of Samuel Cox, Esq, and his lady. Poor Sam was overwhelmed, and sJemmy, in spite of her strong mind, was what the vulgar would call "flabbergasted' Sam got his wits first. 'He knew. of course,'' said he,S"that Uncle Tug was widower, but his. sen, MT. John Tuggeridge?' "Why -hee--hee-hee-'' says MT. Sharpus, surely you know that he was only a -hee, hee. hee, natural sonY' That was the reason of the descent of the heads of departments from the Portland place mansion upon the shop of Mrs. Samuel Cox
 Jemmy rose to the occasion and took possession of the great property at once in most grand and dignified manner. In spite of the obsequiousness of the serv- ants who had announced to her the de- cease of her revered uncle she was for diSmissing every one of them straight