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8.--And it having come under our notice, that many respectable females
have been much annoyed by second-hand dandies’ and counter-jumpers
puffing the smoke in their faces from their penny pickwicks, the
Reform Bill enacts that such fops shall be compelled to pay their last
quarter’s washing bill, and wear an unstarched dicky for six months.
9th.--And as we understand that many ladies belonging to a class known
as milliners’ assistants and bonnet builders, having been frequenting
different music halls, and passing themselves off as ladies of fortune,
on purpose to lead young men astray. Be it known to all whom it may
concern, that if they do not reform their ways they will have to pay
6d. per week to the Baby clothing Association, and their mamma’s will
be made acquainted with their goings on.
10th.--And as Reform is the order of the day, so Reform your tailors’
bills. There is a clause set apart for volunteers only:--it says that
any rifle volunteer found strutting about in a new uniform, shall be
compelled to produce two respectable persons not being volunteers, to
make oath that he has paid for the old ones.
11th.--Butchers will be compelled to reform their ways, and cease to
wag their chops about the steaks being so dear on account of the cattle
disease. And butchers selling meat that has died of the scarlatina,
will be compelled to live upon bullocks’ liver and sawdust for the
space of three months.
12th.--Any policeman who shall be known to be courting more than two
cooks and three housemaids at the same time, or be found with more
than five pounds of mutton in his possession, shall pay 2s. 6s. to the
Servants’ Aid Society, and not be allowed to look down any area for
three calender months.
13th.--Any boy over the age of seven years, who shall be found with a
pea-shooter concealed about him, shall be apprehended as a Fenian, and
be debarred from playing at cat for a fortnight.
14.--And as we have received intelligence that in many parts of London
there are lots of daring children that have been found dancing to the
tune of the Jolly Butcher Boy, and Oh, Cafuzelum! thereby disturbing
the public peace, they will henceforth be considered as dangerous
members of society.
15th.--And lately we have been much startled by hearing that numbers
of evil-disposed paupers in the parishes of Marylebone, St. Luke’s and
Chelsea, have refused to crack stones at 1s. 3d. per yard, unless such
stones are parboild! A clause in the Beform Bill says that such paupers
who offend in the like manner, shall be sentenced to penal servitude
for one night in the casual ward of Lambeth work-house that being the
heaviest sentence the law can inflict.
16.--And any cabman or ’bus-conductor are empowered by the new Reform
Bill to charge double fare for any person or persons weighing over
eighteen stone; but no cabman shall charge more than one shilling
over and above his legal fare, excepting to Members of Parliament or
disorderly persons.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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