The Girls Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. 357, October 30, 1886 | Page 7

the frights she has every now
and again both given and received, must each and all be more amusing
and full of interest than any fairy tale told by Grimm or Andersen.
CHAPTER I.
THE STORY OF THE OLD LADY OF THREADNEEDLE STREET.
And so you want me to tell you the story of my life! Telling tales is not
quite in my line, but I will do the best I can; and should I become
garrulous and tedious, as old ladies are wont sometimes to be, you must
recall me by a gentle reminder that you live in the present century,
whose characteristics are short, decisive, and by all means amusing.
My career has been a strange and eventful one, as you yourselves will
see if I can interest you sufficiently to listen to the end.
Of course, I was not always known as the Old Lady of
Threadneedle-street; indeed, I can well remember the feeling of
annoyance with which I saw Mr. Punch's illustration of me in 1847, as
a fat old woman without a trace of beauty, except in my garments,
which were made of bank notes. I have kept a copy of it, and will just
pencil you the outline.
The annoyance was intensified when I found myself handed down to
posterity by him as the Old Lady of Threadneedle-street. He could have
no authority for this picture, seeing that, like the Delphian mystery of
old, I am invisible, and deliver my oracles through my directors.
You are girls, and will quite understand the distress of being thrust
suddenly into old age. Up to 1847 I was young, good-looking, and
attractive, and to be bereft of my youth and romance at one blow; to
know that from henceforth all would be prosaic and business-like, that I
should never again have lovers seeking my favour, was a condition of

extreme pain. I had always prided myself on my figure, but even this
Mr. Punch did not leave me, but told the world that it was due to
tight-lacing. It was very cruel, and I have sometimes thought it was
envy of my position; but let that go. I took counsel with myself, and
determined to face the future with the resolve to be the very nicest old
lady in the world, and to make myself so useful to my fellow-creatures
that they should love me and stand by me even though my first youth
had passed. And I am sure you will agree with me in thinking that I
have accomplished this, and that not only have I kept clear of weakness
and decrepitude, but have achieved for myself a reputation and position
second to no lady in the land.
It has been necessary for me to make this little explanation, otherwise
you might have thought I had never been young. And now to proceed.
It was in the reign of William and Mary that I first saw the light, being
born in Mercers' Hall on the 27th of July, 1694.
From this place, after a few months, I was removed to Grocers' Hall,
Poultry; not the stately structure with which you are acquainted, but
one much more simple, which was razed to make room for the present
building.
I may say, without vanity, that my birth created a sensation throughout
the length and breadth of the land.
The House of Commons even was not exempt from this excitement, but
set aside its serious work to discuss whether or not I should be
strangled and put out of the way, or nurtured into strength by its
support and countenance.
Those members who were in favour of the last resolution declared that
I should rescue the nation out of the hands of extortioners, lower
interests, raise the value of land, revive public credit, improve
commerce, and connect the people more closely with the Government,
while those of the contrary opinion assured the House that I should
engross the whole money of the kingdom, that I should weaken
commerce by tempting people to withdraw their money from trade, that

I should encourage fraud and gaming, and corrupt the morals of the
nation.
Little recked I of all the stir and commotion my birth was causing, as,
nursed and cared for by my father, William Paterson, a Scotch
merchant, and his friend, Mr. Michael Godfrey, I gradually grew into
strength. It was not till long afterwards that I heard and understood the
circumstances of my birth, and how around me were centred the
interests of the kingdom.
When I was only twelve months old, those who were bound together to
take care of my interests separated my father from me, giving as an
excuse that he was of too speculative and adventurous a spirit to be
entrusted with my welfare.
Poor father!