AN OLD COSTER’S TROUBLES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 85, 30 May 1911, Page 5

AN OLD COSTER’S TROUBLES.

HELP FROM LORD LONSDALE. A' quaint ceremony, states the London corrsepondent of the Australasia;!, took place in Hanover Square recently, outside the offices of the Horse Show, when Lord Lonsdale presented Frank Thompson, an old hawker, with a new donkey and lishbarrow. Some weeks ago Thompson was brought before a Magistrate on a charge of ill-using a donkey. It was proved that the beast was old and diseased, and unfit to draw a barrow, and the Court ordered that it should be ; destroyed. In the course of evidence it was proved that Thompson and his Avifc were too old and infirm to draAV their own barroAV, and that they had denied themselves in order to feed the donkey. Lord Lonsdale became interested in the case, and commissioned the famous “Pcalie King” (Mr Crowe, a coster), to buy the best of donkeys and the finest of barrows, for presentation to the Thompsons. On the arrival of the equipage in the West End such a crowd of smart folk collected that the police had considerable ado to keep a space clear for Lord Lonsdale’s little ceremony. The “Pearlio King” is a sight Avorth seeing. He oaviis some thousands of buttons. They glitter on his cap and line the seams of his coat. His trousers are but a background for embroidery of buttons Avith intricate foliations. There are rosettes of buttons at his knees. He sat proudly in the dark green barroAV—Avhich is picked out in carmine—and surveyed “Jenny,” a very fine ass in her ucav harness, and then looked calmly round on the sea of faces, Avhere nearly everyone near him Avas a duchess, countess, lord or earl. The croAvd gave him respectfid admiration. Although the East End is not very far from Hanover Square, it is doubtful if any of the grand folic avlio admired Mr Crowe and several of his had ever scon a real “pearlio” coster before. Mr and Mrs Thompson, after a good lunch in the Horse Slioav offices, were led out to make the centre of the slioav, and Lord Lonsdale folloAvccj them. Everyone cheered and cheered again after Lord Lonsdale’s happy little speech. Then the old, couple Avero helped into their chariot, and Thompson tried to return thanks, but bis voice failed him. He tried to light a cigar, but bis hand shook Lord Lonsdale shook hands Avith them both, and Jenny started amid loud cheers and cries of “Good luck,’ “Mind you behave on your honeymoon.” The barroAV and Jenny trotted down Regent Street, and everyone turned to stare. The equipage and its contents, Avith the ‘ Peailie King” and friends folloAving behind in another barroAV, created more interest than Regent Street usually has time for.