OCR Text |
Show JOKE WAS ON THACKERAY. Rebuke to Tuft-Hunter Recoiled on the Novelist. Justin McCarthy says that Thackeray Thacke-ray often created erroneous impressions impres-sions of himself by indulging in Irony In tho presence of people who wero Incapable of understanding it. Ono curious Instanco which ho gives Is this: "Thackeray had been dining at tho Garrlck, and was talking In tho smoking room after dinner with various vari-ous club acquaintances. Ono of them happening to havo loft his cigar caso at homo, Thackeray, although disliking tho man, who was a notorious tuft-hunter, tuft-hunter, good-naturedly offered him ono of his cigars. The man accepted tho cigar, but not finding it to his liking had tho bad taste to say to Thackeray: 'I say, Thackeray, you won't mind my saying that I don't think much of this cigar?' Thackeray, no doubt irritated at tho man's ungraciousness nnd bear ing in mind his tuft-hunting predilections, predilec-tions, quietly responded: 'You ought, my good follow, for it wns given to mo by a lord.' Instead, howovor, of detecting detect-ing tho Irony, tho dolt Immediately attributed tho remark to snobbishness on Thackeray's part and to tho end of his days went nbout declaring that Thnckoray had boasted that ho had been given a cigar by a lord!" |