Caricatures and cartoons -- Great Britain; English wit and humor; English wit and humor, Pictorial
At one of our sea-port towns there stood (and, we believe, doth stand
there still) a fort, on the outside of which is a spacious field,
overlooking a delightful prospect of land and water. At the time we are
speaking of, a Major Brown was the commandant; and his family being fond
of a milk diet, the veteran had several cows that pastured in the land
aforesaid; a sentry was placed near the entrance, part of whose duty it
was to prevent strangers and stray cattle from trespassing therein. Upon
one occasion, an Irish marine, a stranger to the place, was on guard at
this post, and having received the regular orders not to allow any one
to go upon the grass but the major's cows, determined to adhere to them
strictly. He had not been long at his post, when three elegant young
ladies presented themselves at the entrance for the purpose of taking
their usual evening walk, and were quickly accosted by the marine with
"You can't go there!"
"Oh! but we may," uttered the ladies with one voice, "we have the
privilege to do so."
"Privilege," repeated the sentry; "fait an' I don't care what ye have,
but you mustn't go there, I tell ye; it's Major Brown's positive orders
to the conthrary."
"Oh--ay--yes--we know that," said the eldest of the ladies with dignity,
"but we are Major Brown's daughters."
"Ah, well, you don't go in there then anyhow," exclaimed Pat, bringing
his firelock to the post, "you may be Major Brown's daughters, but you're
not Major Brown's cows."
* * * * *
The answer to Mr. Sly's Enigma (in last No.) is a _liquid_[5], which
forms the _third_ part of _Rum_, the _fourth_ of Port, the _fifth_
of _Shrub_, the _sixth_ of _Brandy_, the _seventh_ of _Madeira_, the
_eighth_ of _Burgundy_, the _ninth_ of _Bordeaux_, the _tenth_ of
_Maraschino_. It is a letter which is not seen in _the alphabet_, forms
no part of a _syllable_, and yet is found in _every_ word.--V. D. L.
* * * * *
"Are there two 'S's' in St. Asaph?" asked Lord Dunce of a popular
humourist, as he was directing a letter to a learned Bishop who bore that
title. "Unless _you_ wish to make an 'ass' of his Lordship, decidedly
not," was the answer; and Lord Dunce finished the address without further
inquiry.
* * * * *
[Illustration]
_Driver_ (calling out). Tom, is that 'ere elderly lady come, as ve vaited
for last trip?
_Cad_. Vel, I _do_ think I sees her a coming.
_Driver_. But are you sure it's the same?
_Cad_. Oh yes--Vy I was in the office ven the Governor booked her, by the
name o' Mrs. Toddles, and eh?--hang me if she arn't a toddling off the
wrong vay arter all. Vel, drive on, ve can't wait for nobody. Some people
alvers _aire_ too late, and alvers vill be.
_Driver_. Vy, yes, Tom; but I reckon it must take _her_ a couple o' hours
to put on that bonnet afore she comes out. She must git up a little
earlier, or else I should reckimend her to put it on the night afore.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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