My Man Jeeves

inhabitants of this country, as no doubt you are aware, sir, are peculiarly addicted to shaking hands with prominent personages. It occurred to me that Mr. Bickersteth or yourself might know of persons who would be willing to pay a small fee—let us say two dollars or three—for the privilege of an introduction, including handshake, to his grace."
    Bicky didn't seem to think much of it.
    "Do you mean to say that anyone would be mug enough to part with solid cash just to shake hands with my uncle?"
    "I have an aunt, sir, who paid five shillings to a young fellow for bringing a moving–picture actor to tea at her house one Sunday. It gave her social standing among the neighbours."
    Bicky wavered.
    "If you think it could be done——"
    "I feel convinced of it, sir."
    "What do you think, Bertie?"
    "I'm for it, old boy, absolutely. A very brainy wheeze."
    "Thank you, sir. Will there be anything further? Good night, sir."
    And he floated out, leaving us to discuss details.
    Until we started this business of floating old Chiswick as a money–making proposition I had never realized what a perfectly foul time those Stock Exchange chappies must have when the public isn't biting freely. Nowadays I read that bit they put in the financial reports about "The market opened quietly" with a sympathetic eye, for, by Jove, it certainly opened quietly for us! You'd hardly believe how difficult it was to interest the public and make them take a flutter on the old boy. By the end of the week the only name we had on our list was a delicatessen–store keeper down in Bicky's part of the town, and as he wanted us to take it out in sliced ham instead of cash that didn't help much. There was a gleam of light when the brother of Bicky's pawnbroker offered ten dollars, money down, for an introduction to old Chiswick, but the deal fell through, owing to its turning out that the chap was an anarchist and intended to kick the old boy instead of shaking hands with him. At that, it took me the deuce of a time to persuade Bicky not to grab the cash and let things take their course. He seemed to regard the pawnbroker's brother rather as a sportsman and benefactor of his species than otherwise.
    The whole thing, I'm inclined to think, would have been off if it hadn't been for Jeeves. There is no doubt that Jeeves is in a class of his own. In the matter of brain and resource I don't think I have ever met a chappie so supremely like mother made. He trickled into my room one morning with a good old cup of tea, and intimated that there was something doing.
    "Might I speak to you with regard to that matter of his grace, sir?"
    "It's all off. We've decided to chuck it."
    "Sir?"
    "It won't work. We can't get anybody to come."
    "I fancy I can arrange that aspect of the matter, sir."
    "Do you mean to say you've managed to get anybody?"
    "Yes, sir. Eighty–seven gentlemen from Birdsburg, sir."
    I sat up in bed and spilt the tea.
    "Birdsburg?"
    "Birdsburg, Missouri, sir."
    "How did you get them?"
    "I happened last night, sir, as you had intimated that you would be absent from home, to attend a theatrical performance, and entered into conversation between the acts with the occupant of the adjoining seat. I had observed that he was wearing a somewhat ornate decoration in his buttonhole, sir—a large blue button with the words 'Boost for Birdsburg' upon it in red letters, scarcely a judicious addition to a gentleman's evening costume. To my surprise I noticed that the auditorium was full of persons similarly decorated. I ventured to inquire the explanation, and was informed that these gentlemen, forming a party of eighty–seven, are a convention from a town of the name if Birdsburg, in the State of Missouri. Their visit, I gathered, was purely of a social and pleasurable nature, and my informant spoke at some length of the entertainments arranged for their stay in the city. It was when he related with a considerable amount of satisfaction and pride, that a deputation of their number had been introduced to and had shaken hands with a well–known prizefighter, that it occurred to me to broach the subject of his grace. To make a long story short, sir, I have arranged, subject to your approval, that the entire convention shall be presented to his grace to–morrow afternoon."
    I was amazed. This chappie was a Napoleon.
    "Eighty–seven, Jeeves. At how much a head?"
    "I was obliged to agree to a reduction for quantity, sir. The terms finally arrived at were one