A Beau Nash Story.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 295, 12 December 1891, Page 3 (Supplement)

A Beau Nash Story.

He Made a Stingy Duchess be Charit-

able in Spite of Herself,

The story of Beau.Nash is so interwoven.in the life of Bath, one of England's mosb celebrated watering-places, that one can scarcely see its name without thought of him. There, for a triumphant period, was he the autocrat of fashion and tyrant over aristocracy itself. When a certain hospital was about to be built there, Nash stood at the door of the assembly rooms one day to receive subscriptions. Presently there entered a certain Duchess, whose custom ib was. to spend much on her pleasures and little on charities. She gave Nash a familiar tap with her fan, and.said, graciously : ' You must put down a trifle for me, Nash, for I have no money in my pocket.' ' With pleasure, madame,' was the reply, *if your Grace will tell me when to stop.' He drew from his pocket a handful of guineas, and began counting bhem out. ' One, two, three, four, five ' ' Enough, enough !' cried the Duchess, in alarm.' ' What are you about ?' 'Consider your rank and fortune, madame,' said Nash, still counting ; 'six, seven, eight, nine, ten ' Here the lady's alarm gave place to anger, but Nash continued unmoved. With maddening assurance he begged her nob to interrupt the work of charity, while he went on counting. ' Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen ' Ac this point the exasperated duchess cried aloud. Catching his hand, she strove to stop his reckless numbering. ' Peace, madame,' said Nash ; 'you shall have your name on the front of the building, written in letters of gold. Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-—' ' I won't pay a farthing more I' cried she, now at whibe heab. 'Charity covers a multitude of sins,'replied her tormentor, coolly, and still wenb on counting. ' Nash,' cried the Duchess, now thoroughly enraged. ' you frighten me oub of my wits. I shall die.' ' Madame, you will never die of, doing good,'and he was about to count on, bub seeing that he had reached the end of feminine endurance he agreed to stop if sue s-ave him 30 guineas. Thus was the matter settled, but Nash had lost a friend.