When a customer got "half-seas over" and could not see
straight, he used a piece of chalk with a nick cut in it, so that when
he marked "one" on the door the chalk marked two; but he was soon found
out, and lost most of his trade, besides being nicknamed "Dan
Double-chalk." The custom of keeping ale scores in this way was referred
to in the poem of "Richard Bell," who was--
As plodding a man, so his neighbours tell, as ever a chisel wielded.
Richard's fault was that he spent too much money at a public-house named
the "Jolly Kings," and--
One night, 'twas pay night! Richard's score
Reach'd half across the Parlour door.
His "Pints" had been so many
And when at length the bill was paid,
All that was left, he found, dismay'd,
Was but a single penny!
If Mr. Alder's customers had spent their money as freely as Richard had
spent his, we could imagine their feelings of joy when they found their
ale scores wiped out by Mr. Alder's wet mop!
But during all the Jollity occasioned by this Event (the _Journal_
continued), it seems Mrs. Alder was in no wise elated, but rather
thought the having such a great deal of Money a Misfortune; and
seemed of Opinion that it would have been better to have had only
enough to pay the Brewer, and a few Pounds to spare; for it would now
certainly be their Ruin, as she knew well her Husband would give away
all they had in the World, and indeed that it was _presumptuous_ in
him at first to buy the Ticket.
Pages:
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872