Jorrocks' Jaunts and JollitiesSurtees, Robert Smith
General
Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities
Surtees, Robert Smith
England -- Fiction; Fox hunting -- Fiction; Hunting stories
"Coach to Canterbury, Deal, Margate, sir, going directly," interrupted
him, and reminded us that we had got to the end of the pier, and ought
to be descending. Two or three coaches were drawn up, waiting to carry
passengers on, but we had got to our journey's end. "Now," said J----,
"let's take our bags in hand and draw up wind, trying the 'Dolphin'
first."
Rejecting the noble portals of the Pier Hotel, we advanced towards
Jorrocks's chosen house, a plain unpretending-looking place facing the
sea, which is half the battle, and being but just finished had every
chance of cleanliness. "Jonathan Acres" appeared above the door as the
name of the landlord, and a little square-built, hatless, short-haired
chap, in a shooting-jacket, was leaning against the door. "Mr.
Hacres within?" said Jorrocks. "My name's Acres," said he of the
shooting-jacket. "Humph," said J----, looking him over, "not Long Acre,
I think." Having selected a couple of good airy bedrooms, we proceeded
to see about dinner. "Mr. Hacres," said Jorrocks, "I makes it a rule
never to pay more than two and sixpence for a feed, so now just give
us as good a one as you possibly can for that money": and about seven
o'clock we sat down to lamb-chops, ducks, French beans, pudding, etc.;
shortly after which Jorrocks retired to rest, to sleep off the remainder
of his headache. He was up long before me the next morning, and had a
dip in the sea before I came down. "Upon my word," said he, as I entered
the room, and found him looking as lively and fresh as a four-year-old,
"it's worth while going to the lush-crib occasionally, if it's only for
the pleasure of feeling so hearty and fresh as one does on the second
day. I feel just as if I could jump out of my skin, but I will defer the
performance until after breakfast. I have ordered a fork one, do you
know, cold 'am and boiled bacon, with no end of eggs, and bread of every
possible description. By the way, I've scraped acquaintance with Thorp,
the baker hard by, who's a right good fellow, and says he will give me
some shooting, and has some werry nice beagles wot he shoots to. But
here's the grub. Cold 'am in abundance. But, waiter, you should put a
little green garnishing to the dishes, I likes to see it, green is so
werry refreshing to the eye; and tell Mr. Hacres to send up some more
bacon and the bill, when I rings the bell. Nothing like having your bill
the first morning, and then you know what you've got to pay, and can cut
your coat according to your cloth." The bacon soon disappeared, and the
bell being sounded, produced the order.
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