uded it was a
FORGERY." And so it turned out to be.

"That boy," said Toole, "deserves to be taken up by some one, for he
has great talent."

"And in speaking of this matter," said Sir Henry, "I may tell you that
bankers' clerks are the very best that ever could be invented as
tests for handwriting. Their intelligence and accuracy are perfectly
astonishing. They hardly ever make a mistake, and are seldom deceived.
The experts in handwriting are clever enough, and mean to be true; but
every _expert_ in a case, be he doctor, caligrapher, or phrenologist,
has some unknown quantity of bias, and must almost of necessity, if he
is on the one side or the other, exercise it, however unintentional it
may be. The banker speaks _without this influence_, and therefore, if
not more likely to be correct, is more reasonably supposed to be so.

"Do you remember, Sir Henry," asked Toole, "what the clever rogue
Orton wrote in his pocket-book? 'Some has money no brains; some has
brains no money; them as has money no brains was made for them as has
brains no money.'"

"Just like Roger," said Sir Henry. This was a catch-phrase in society
at the time of the trial.

Some one recited from a number of _Hood's Comic Annual_ the following
poem by Tom Hood:--

A BIRD OF ANOTHER FEATHER.[A]

[Footnote A: These lines appeared about 1874, and I have to make
acknowledgments to those whom I have been unable to ask for permission
to reproduce, and trust they will accept both my apologies and
thanks.]

"Yestreen, when I retired to bed,
I had a funny dream;
Imagination backward sped
Up History's ancient stream.
A falconer in fullest dress
Was teaching me his art;
Of tercel, eyas, hood, and jess,
The terms I learnt by heart.

"He flew his falcon to attack
The osprey, swan, and hern,
And showed me, when he wished it back,
The lure for its return.
I thought it was a noble sport;
I struggled to excel
My gentle teacher, and, in short,
I managed rather well.

"The dream is o'er, and I to-day
Return to modern time;
But yet I've something more to say,
If you will list my rhyme.
I've been a witness in a case
For seven long mortal hours,
And, cross-examined, had to face
The counsel's keenest powers.

"With courteous phrase and winning smiles
He led me gently on;
I fell a victim to his wiles--
But how he changed anon!
'Oh, you're prepared to swear to that!'