“We arrive at Gloster, and there fansy my disgust at bein ableeged
to undergo another change of carridges! Fansy me holding up moughs,
tippits, cloaks, and baskits, and James Hangelo rawring still like mad,
and pretending to shuperintend the carrying over of our luggage from the
broad gage to the narrow gage. 'Mary Hann,' says I, rot to desperation,
'I shall throttle this darling if he goes on.' 'Do,' says she--'and GO
INTO THE REFRESHMENT room,' says she--a snatchin the babby out of my
arms. Do go,' says she, youre not fit to look after luggage,' and she
began lulling James Hangelo to sleep with one hi, while she looked
after the packets with the other. Now, Sir! if you please, mind that
packet!--pretty darling--easy with that box, Sir, its glass--pooooty
poppet--where's the deal case, marked arrowroot, No. 24?' she cried,
reading out of a list she had.--And poor little James went to sleep.
The porters were bundling and carting the various harticles with no more
ceremony than if each package had been of cannonball.
“At last--bang goes a package marked 'Glass,' and containing the Chayny
bowl and Lady Bareacres' mixture, into a large white bandbox, with a
crash and a smash. 'It's My Lady's box from Crinoline's!' cries Mary
Hann; and she puts down the child on the bench, and rushes forward to
inspect the dammidge. You could hear the Chayny bowls clinking inside;
and Lady B.'s mixture (which had the igsack smell of cherry brandy) was
dribbling out over the smashed bandbox containing a white child's cloak,
trimmed with Blown lace and lined with white satting.
“As James was asleep, and I was by this time uncommon hungry, I thought
I WOULD go into the Refreshment Room and just take a little soup; so
I wrapped him up in his cloak and laid him by his mamma, and went off.
There's not near such good attendance as at Swindon.
*****
“We took our places in the carriage in the dark, both of us covered with
a pile of packages, and Mary Hann so sulky that she would not speak for
some minutes. At last she spoke out--
“'Have you all the small parcels?'
“'Twenty-three in all,' says I.
“'Then give me baby.'
“'Give you what?' says I.
“'Give me baby.'
“'What, haven't y-y-yoooo got him?' says I.
*****
“O Mussy! You should have heard her sreak! WE'D LEFT HIM ON THE LEDGE AT
GLOSTER.
“It all came of the break of gage.”
MR. JEAMES AGAIN.
“DEAR MR. PUNCH,--As newmarus inquiries have been maid both at my privit
ressddence, 'The Wheel of Fortune Otel,' and at your Hoffis,
regarding the fate of that dear babby, James Hangelo, whose primmiture
dissappearnts caused such hagnies to his distracted parents, I must
begg, dear sir, the permission to ockupy a part of your valuble collams
once more, and hease the public mind about my blessid boy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account