jumped out in front of
me while I was holding him by the string.

"Good ----!" cried a voice from a gentleman to whom I had previously
given a situation under Government, livery and all found; "why, blow
me if the old bloke ain't blind! Lookee there, 'is dawg's a-leadin'
'im; wot d'ye think o' that?"

But persons in much higher station were no less at times fond
of chaff, which I always took good-humouredly. A story of Lord
Grimthorpe, who, many years after, had some fun with me at times over
my little Jack, will appear in his reminiscences a little farther on.
I used to lead Jack with a string in the same manner as I had done the
other, for educational purposes, and Lord Grimthorpe jocularly called
me Jack's prisoner. But I must let him tell his own story in his own
way when his turn comes.

The Midland Circuit was always famous for its ill accommodation of her
Majesty's Judges, and of late years even in the supply of prisoners
to keep them from loitering away their days in idleness or lonely
diversions.

I always loved work and comfortable lodgings, and may say from the
first to the last of my judicial days set myself to the improvement of
both the work and the accommodation.

Some Judges in their charges used to discourse with the grand jury of
our foreign relations, turnips, or the state of trade; but I took a
more humble theme at Aylesbury, when I informed that august body
that the quarters assigned to her Majesty's Judges were such that an
officer would hardly think them good enough to billet soldiers in.

"My rest, gentlemen, has been rudely disturbed," said I, "in the
lodgings assigned to me. My bedroom was hardly accessible, on account
of what appeared to be a dense fog which was difficult to struggle
through. I sought refuge in the dressing-room. Being a bitterly cold
night and a very draughty room, some one had lighted a fire in it;
but, unfortunately, all the smoke came down the chimney after going
up a little way, bringing down as much soot as it could manage to
lay hold of. All this is the fault of the antiquated chimneys and
ill-contrived building generally. My marshal was the subject of equal
discomfort; and I think I may congratulate you, gentlemen, not only on
there being very few prisoners, but also on the fact that you are not
holding an inquest on our bodies."

The grand jury were good enough to say that there was "an institution
called the Standing Joint Committee, who will, no doubt, inq