2
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER I.
AUGUSTA AND HER PUBLISHER.
"Now mark you, my masters: this is comedy."--OLD PLAY.
Everybody who has any connection with Birmingham will be acquainted with the vast publishing establishment still known by the short title of "Meeson's," which is perhaps the most remarkable institution of the sort in Europe. There are--or rather there were, at the date of the beginning of this history--three partners in Meeson's--Meeson himself, the managing partner; Mr. Addison, and Mr. Roscoe--and people in Birmingham used to say that there were others interested in the affair, for Meeson's was a "company" (limited).
However this may be, Meeson and Co. was undoubtedly a commercial marvel. It employed more than two