The Book of Three Hundred Anecdotes | Page 5

and take your picture when
they come out."
Chantrey's First Sculpture.--Chantrey, when a boy, used to take milk to
Sheffield on an ass. To those not used to seeing and observing such
things, it may be necessary to state that the boys generally carry a good
thick stick, with a hooked or knobbed end, with which they belabour
their asses sometimes unmercifully. On a certain day, when returning
home, riding on his ass, Chantrey was observed by a gentleman to be
intently engaged in cutting a stick with his penknife, and, excited by
curiosity, he asked the lad what he was doing, when, with great
simplicity of manner, but with courtesy, he replied, "I am cutting _old
Fox's head_." Fox was the schoolmaster of the village. On this, the
gentleman asked to see what he had done, pronounced it to be an
excellent likeness, and presented the youth with sixpence. This may,
perhaps, be reckoned the first money Chantry ever obtained in the way
of his art.

BEGGING.
Admiral Chatillon had gone one day to hear mass in the Dominican
Friars' chapel; a poor fellow came and begged his charity. He was at the
moment occupied with his devotions, and he gave him several pieces of
gold from his pocket, without counting them, or thinking what they
were. The large amount astonished the beggar, and as M. Chatillon was
going out of the church-door, the poor man waited for him: "Sir," said
he, showing him what he had given him, "I cannot think that you
intended to give me so large a sum, and am very ready to return it." The
admiral, admiring the honesty of the man, said, "I did not, indeed, my
good man, intend to have given you so much; but, since you have the

generosity to offer to return it, I will have the generosity to desire you
to keep it; and here are five pieces more for you."
A Beggar's Wedding.--Dean Swift being in the country, on a visit to Dr.
Sheridan, they were informed that a beggar's wedding was about to be
celebrated. Sheridan played well upon the violin; Swift therefore
proposed that he should go to the place where the ceremony was to be
performed, disguised as a blind fiddler, while he attended him as his
man. Thus accoutred they set out, and were received by the jovial crew
with great acclamation. They had plenty of good cheer, and never was a
more joyous wedding seen. All was mirth and frolic; the beggars told
stories, played tricks, cracked jokes, sung and danced, in a manner
which afforded high amusement to the fiddler and his man, who were
well rewarded when they departed, which was not till late in the
evening. The next day the Dean and Sheridan walked out in their usual
dress, and found many of their late companions, hopping about upon
crutches, or pretending to be blind, pouring forth melancholy
complaints and supplications for charity. Sheridan distributed among
them the money he had received; but the Dean, who hated all
mendicants, fell into a violent passion, telling them of his adventure of
the preceding day, and threatening to send every one of them to prison.
This had such an effect, that the blind opened their eyes, and the lame
threw away their crutches, running away as fast as their legs could
carry them.
Old Age Secured.--As Sir Walter Scott was riding once with a friend in
the neighbourhood of Abbotsford, he came to a field gate, which an
Irish beggar who happened to be near hastened to open for him. Sir
Walter was desirous of rewarding his civility by the present of sixpence,
but found that he had not so small a coin in his purse. "Here, my good
fellow," said the baronet, "here is a shilling for you; but mind, you owe
me sixpence." "God bless your honour!" exclaimed Pat: "may your
honour live till I pay you."
Maximilian I.--A beggar once asked alms of the Emperor Maximilian I.,
who bestowed upon him a small coin. The beggar appeared dissatisfied
with the smallness of the gift, and on being asked why, he replied that it
was a very little sum for an emperor, and that his highness should
remember that we were all descended from one father, and were
therefore all brothers. Maximilian smiled good-humouredly, and

replied: "Go--go, my good man: if each of your brothers gives you as
much as I have done, you will very soon be far richer than me."

BENEVOLENCE.
A Benevolent Judge.--The celebrated Anthony Domat, author of a
treatise on the civil laws, was promoted to the office of judge of the
provincial court of Clermont, in the territory of Auvergne, in the south
of France. In this court he presided, with general applause, for