Page:A Sketch of the Life of George Wilson, the Blackheath Pedestrian.djvu/85

 reached me. Even on the second night, my generous friend Mr. Dyer, was positively refused admittance, unless he would first give Mr. Mase, a pound note!—which, however, he judiciously refused to give into any hands but my own; and they suffered none to approach but their own acquaintance, or such as complied with their extortionary demands. For the first six days they constantly ate and drank to excess, and treated their companions, at my expence; and as I was informed, shewed themselves quite flush of money at the tippling booths in the course of each successive day. I endeavoured to check these proceedings; but their ultimate designs were still more glaring towards the conclusion of the business. On the night of Friday, the twelth from my commencement, Mr. Mase who was very officious in assisting to change my shoes and socks, took an opportunity to throw himself on one knee, violently, and with his whole weight, on my naked foot, obviously with a purpose to lame me. The pain I felt from this violence was so excessive that I very nearly fainted, and fell from my chair. By way of relieving me, he threw a tumbler of water in my face, while he and his companions laughed at my embarrassment, and made quite light of the circumstance; and in a short time after, some hours before my days' task was completed, he put me on a pair of fresh socks, which gave me so much pain in the hours' walk, that on finishing the round, I called for the chair, on which I usually rested at the starting post, to change them. But no chair was to he had, and Mr. Mase earnestly urged me to continue the next round without changing. I broke through the crowd, and went to the Hare and Billet, when, in pulling off the socks, I found they