“‘And yet you got no shares,’ says Jim, ‘for all your boast’; ‘I _would_ have wrote,’ says Jack, ‘but where Was the penny to pay the post?’ “‘I lost, for I couldn’t pay That first instalment up; But, here’s taters smoking hot, I say Let’s stop, my boy, and sup.’ “And at this simple feast, The while they did regale, I drew each ragged capitalist Down on my left thumb nail. “Their talk did me perplex, All night I tumbled and tossed, And I thought of railroad specs, And how money was won and lost. “‘Bless railroads everywhere,’ I said, ‘and the world’s advance; Bless every railroad share In Italy, Ireland, France; For never a beggar need now despair, And every rogue has a chance.’” And yet another extract. Who does not remember Thackeray’s _Diary of C. Jeames de la Pluche_, _Esqre._? but few know how the idea was started. It was by W. M. T. himself in _Punch_ of Aug. 2: A LUCKY SPECULATOR. Considerable sensation has been excited in the upper and lower circles in the West End, by a startling piece of good fortune which has befallen JAMES PLUSH ESQ., lately footman in a respected family in Berkeley Square. One day, last week, MR. JAMES waited upon his master, who is a banker in the City; and, after a little blushing and hesitation, said he had saved a little money in service, and was anxious to retire, and invest his savings to advantage. His master (we believe we may mention, without offending delicacy, the well-known name of SIR GEORGE FLIMSY, of the firm of FLIMSY, DIDDLER AND FLASH) smilingly asked MR. JAMES what was the amount of his savings, wondering considerably how—out of an income of thirty guineas, the main part of which he spent in bouquets, silk stockings and perfumery—MR. PLUSH could have managed to lay by anything. MR. PLUSH, with some hesitation, said he had been _speculating in railroads_, and stated his winnings to have been thirty thousand pounds. He had commenced his speculations with twenty, borrowed from a fellow-servant. He had dated his letters from the house in Berkeley Square, and humbly begged pardon of his master, for not having instructed the railway secretaries, who answered the applications, to apply at the area bell. SIR GEORGE, who was at breakfast, instantly arose, and shook Mr. P. by the hand; LADY FLIMSY begged him to be seated, and partake of the breakfast which he had laid on the table; and has, subsequently, invited him to her grand _déjeuner_ at Richmond, where it was observed that MISS EMILY FLIMSY, her beautiful and accomplished seventh daughter, paid the lucky gentleman _marked_ attention. We hear it stated that Mr. P. is of very ancient family (HUGO DE LA PLUCHE came over with the Conqueror); and the new Brougham which he has started, bears the ancient coat of his race.