78

for the assistance of our friends but the
state of destitution to which the Club
is reduced may be imagined from
the fact that even our fat facetious
friend the Sheriff has declared
himself bankrupt - His entire
winter stock of jokes was expended
in the report of our fifth meeting & no
further supply is to be expected
until the opening of the navigation.
Our friends have however been most
ready with their advice & all in one
continued chorus have shouted
"You can always fall back on [Graces?]" but
that alas! is a subject on which we defy
the [hint?] [?] [?] [going?]
to say anthing funny - We have even
attempted a higher flight but with
as little success - We can by claim
to [?] the poetic fancy of [?]
[?] the fluent diction & little bit of a joker.