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Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 262, 6 October 1874, Page 6

The following amusing story of an English nobleman, recently deceased, is told by the correspondent of a contemporary. The duke, he says, “ was once in church when a collection was announced for some charitable object. The plate began to go round, and the duke carefully put his hand into his pocket and took out a florin, which he laid on the pew before him ready to be transferred to the plate. Beside him sat a little snob, who, noticing this action, imitated it by ostentatiously laying a sovereign alongside the ducal florin. This was too much for his grace, who dipped his hand into his pocket again and pulled out another florin, which he laid by the side of the first. The little snob followed suit by laying another sovereign beside the first. His grace quietly added a third florin, which was capped by a third sovereign on the part of the little snob. Out came the fourth florin to swell the duke’s donation, and then the little snob triumphantly laid three sovereigns upon the board. The duke, not to be beaten, produced three florins. Just at this moment the plate arrived. . The little snob took up his handful of sovereigns, ostentatiously rattled them into the plate, and then turned defiantly towards his rival, as if he would say, ‘I think that takes the shine out of you.’ Fancy his chagrin when the duke, with a grim smile, put one florin into the plate, and quietly swept the remaining six back into his pocket.”