I invariably did want pocket-money, he
always said, " Tell Skeeme to give you a couple
of sovereigns;" which request the valet at once
complied with, not even asking my cousin
whether it was correct or not.

I remember on one occasion my cousin—
"The Colonel," as Skeeme used to call him,
though he was but a captain in the Guards, and
a lieutenant-colonel in the army— making up his
mind very late the night before the race that
he would go down to see the Derby run next day,
and would take me with him. A brother-officer of
his was going to drive a party down by the road—
in those days, rail to Epsom was unheard of—
and was to call for my cousin and myself about
eight A.M. Suddenly my cousin remembered
that he had only a couple of sovereigns in his
purse, and that it was long after banking
hours, and that he would start next morning
before the banks were open. " Let me see what
Skeeme can do for me," said he, ringing the bell,
which was at once answered by that most
respectfully grave valet. " Skeeme," said my
relation, " can you let me have any money? I
want to start before the banks will be open
tomorrow; I will give you a cheque which you
can get cashed any time after nine." " How
much do you require, colonel?" was the reply.
"Well," said my cousin, " if you could get me
twenty or thirty pounds it would be enough; if
I want more, I can borrow it from some friend on
the course." " Better make it fifty, colonel,"
said Skeeme; " Epsom is not a place to go to,
without plenty of money in your pocket. I'll get
you what you want at once." In five minutes
he returned and handed over ten five-pound
notes to his master, who sat down at once to
write him a cheque. " No occasion for that,
colonel," said the valet; " I'll put it down in the
book, and you can give me a cheque for the
whole at the end of the month." What Skeeme
called " the book," was a thin account-book, in
which every item of my cousin's expenditure
was put down. And what with certain quiet
dinner-parties, with whist to follow, which
"the colonel" was rather celebrated for among
his acquaintance, to say nothing of his wine-
merchant's account, Fortnum and Mason's ditto,
stable expenses, travelling expenses— for my
cousin went about a great deal to various race
meetings, and always took Skeeme with him, the
latter paying everything, as his master was a
man who hated trouble of all kinds— the various
outlays were pretty heavy. Skeeme himself
was a married man, but " without
incumbrance," as the advertisements say. His wife
—quite as respectable looking, and almost as
grave as her husband— lived in my cousin's house
as his cook and housekeeper, so that between
them they had to pay no rent. Their united
wages— with every thing found— were (as Skeeme
used to say with the air of a Chancellor of the
Exchequer when stating the accounts of the
kingdom) " a consolidated hundred pounds per
annum." Besides this, there were, of course,
certain perquisites.

The colonel, though by no means a " dressy
man," or a loud " dresser," used to get tired of
his clothes, and with the exception of his
uniform and hunting-coats, very seldom wore any
garment very long. What he got tired of
was, as a matter of course, handed over to
Skeeme. Then the butcher, baker, grocer,
greengrocer, coal-merchant, and other tradesmen,
of course supplied what was ordered by
Mrs. Skeeme in her capacity of housekeeper,
and the accounts were made up, submitted to,
and paid by, Mr. Skeeme, in his capacity of
steward or butler. The average total of " the
book," at the end of the month, was from one
hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty
pounds. Was it to be wondered at if the
family of Skeeme managed to make something
exceedingly comfortable for themselves, and
that after some six or eight years' service with
the same master they were enabled to invest
money in Consols, and even complained that the
interest on government securities was so very
small?

About a couple of years after I first knew
Skeeme— I think it was in 1841— my cousin,
who was also my guardian, and, indeed, the
only near relative I had in the world, procured
me a commission in the army. Having barely
money enough of my own to purchase my various
steps even in a line regiment, it was deemed
advisable that I should go out to India, and I
accordingly asked for and obtained an ensigncy
in a regiment stationed in that country. I was
absent from England some four years, during
which time I often heard from my cousin, and
once or twice from his valet. The last letter I
received from Skeeme, while I was still out in the
East, informed me that " the colonel" was going
to leave the Guards— to sell out of the service—
and get married. " Of course," continued
the writer, " I shall remain with my master
until his marriage takes place, but both I and
my wife will then leave him, for it would not
suit us to keep in service with a married gentleman."
A letter from my cousin confirmed what
his servant had written, and at the same time
expressed a hope that I would come home
in time to be present at the wedding, which
was to take place in about eight or nine months.
Being able to obtain leave of absence, I very
soon started for Europe, and in thirty-five days or
so after leaving Bombay found myself in a Hansom
cab bowling away from the London-bridge
station to South Audley-street, where the
colonel gave me a very kind reception. Skeeme
was as grave and as respectable looking as ever.
My cousin was dining out with the family of
his intended, on the night of my arrival, and so
I took my dinner alone, conversing all the
time with Skeeme, who waited upon me, and
upon whom I looked in the light of an old
friend. He did not appear at all annoyed
at the prospective change in my cousin's
state of life, but said that in any case he and
his wife would very soon have retired from
service, as they had been able to " save a
little money," and it was time they should
enjoy themselves. I asked Skeeme if he