DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70266#0341
ACCOUNT OF MR. THOMAS COOKE.
301
to take pot-luck with him. A cask of table beer, (contain-
ing only four gallons and a half), was the largest quantity
he ever had in his house, which was for the indulgence
of his wife; and to this he had a lock-cock, the key
of which he always kept, as he found by experience,
his servants would not drink water. Water was the only
beverage he treated himself to; but whenever inclined for a
glass of good wine, he would find his way to some of his
tradesmen, to whom he knew he was an important cus-
tomer, taking care to make himself well acquainted with the
usual family hour for dinner. The greater part of his daily
food was gained by making visits; for though he always de-
clined stopping, till he was repeatedly asked, yet he was
easily prevailed upon. He took care to make the extent of
his riches known; and whenever he saw children, pretended
great affection for them, soliciting their names in writing;
by which means, the deluded parents, imagining theyrvould
be all remembered in his will, took care to cultivate his
friendship. Thus, Mr. Cooke not only rendered himself wel-
come at meal-hours, but continually received presents of
game, roasting pigs, poultry, fruit, and all kinds of viands.
Of these, he just kept as much of the worst and least sale-
able, as would suffice for his own family, and sold the rest.
He was once known to make a present to a gentleman of a
hare ; but he enquired very minutely on what day he intended
to have it dressed, that he might call the next day for the skin.
With all his parsimony, however, Cooke, to his great
astonishment, found, that instead of making money by his
sugar-house, he had lost, at the end of .twelve months,
500Z. In order to discover the secrets of the trade, to which
he had been a stranger, he was induced to invite several su»
gar-bakers to dine with him, and after plying them with
plenty of wine, he put questions to some of the younger
and more unguarded of the trade, who, in a state of intoxi-
cation, made the desirable discoveries, His wife, astonish-
301
to take pot-luck with him. A cask of table beer, (contain-
ing only four gallons and a half), was the largest quantity
he ever had in his house, which was for the indulgence
of his wife; and to this he had a lock-cock, the key
of which he always kept, as he found by experience,
his servants would not drink water. Water was the only
beverage he treated himself to; but whenever inclined for a
glass of good wine, he would find his way to some of his
tradesmen, to whom he knew he was an important cus-
tomer, taking care to make himself well acquainted with the
usual family hour for dinner. The greater part of his daily
food was gained by making visits; for though he always de-
clined stopping, till he was repeatedly asked, yet he was
easily prevailed upon. He took care to make the extent of
his riches known; and whenever he saw children, pretended
great affection for them, soliciting their names in writing;
by which means, the deluded parents, imagining theyrvould
be all remembered in his will, took care to cultivate his
friendship. Thus, Mr. Cooke not only rendered himself wel-
come at meal-hours, but continually received presents of
game, roasting pigs, poultry, fruit, and all kinds of viands.
Of these, he just kept as much of the worst and least sale-
able, as would suffice for his own family, and sold the rest.
He was once known to make a present to a gentleman of a
hare ; but he enquired very minutely on what day he intended
to have it dressed, that he might call the next day for the skin.
With all his parsimony, however, Cooke, to his great
astonishment, found, that instead of making money by his
sugar-house, he had lost, at the end of .twelve months,
500Z. In order to discover the secrets of the trade, to which
he had been a stranger, he was induced to invite several su»
gar-bakers to dine with him, and after plying them with
plenty of wine, he put questions to some of the younger
and more unguarded of the trade, who, in a state of intoxi-
cation, made the desirable discoveries, His wife, astonish-