Lost Lenore: The Adventures of a Rolling StoneReid, Mayne
General
Lost Lenore: The Adventures of a Rolling Stone
Reid, Mayne
Adventure stories; Dime novels; Fiction
For the "refreshments" partaken of, an exorbitant price was charged; and
then something had to be paid to the ghoul-like creatures who placed
them before you.
So enlightened are the people of the world's metropolis, that a man is
expected to fee the waiter who sets his dinner before him.
An unenlightened people, who live far away from London, are such fools,
as to think that when a dinner is ordered, the proprietor of the place
is under some obligation to have it set on the table; but Londoners have
reached a pitch of refinement--in the art of extortion and begging--that
has conducted them to a different belief.
After staying in the "music hall" about an hour--and becoming thoroughly
disgusted both with actors and audience--I succeeded in persuading my
friend to take me away.
Our next visit was to a "tavern," where we were shown into a large
parlour, full of people, though it was some time before I became certain
of this fact, by the tobacco smoke that filled the apartment.
In this place also, part of the entertainment consisted of singing,
though none of the singers were engaged professionally. A majority of
those present, seemed to be acquainted with one another; and those who
could sing, either volunteered, or sung at the request of the "company."
A man sitting at the head of a long table, officiated as "chairman,"
and by knocking on the table with a small ivory hammer, gave notice when
a song was to commence, at the same time commanding silence.
In this place, we actually heard songs sung in good taste, and with much
feeling, for it was possible to understand both the words and the music.
On leaving this tavern we repaired to another; and gained admission
into the "parlour." We found it filled with linen draper's assistants,
and other "counter jumpers."
Their principal amusement appeared to be, that of trying which could use
the greatest quantity of slang and obscene language. It had been
raining, as we entered the house; and a young man--too elaborately
dressed to be a gentleman--who came in after us, reported to the rest of
the company, that it was "raining like old boots."
Another well-dressed young man entertained the company with the
important intelligence, that as soon as it should cease raining, he
intended to "be off like a shot."
The individuals assembled in this tavern parlour, had a truly snobbish
appearance. Their conversation was too obscene to be repeated, yet
every sentence of ribaldry was received by the company with shouts of
laughter!
My companion and I stayed but a few minutes among them. On going out
from this place, we resolved to separate for the night, as I was quite
satisfied with what I had seen of metropolitan amusements.
There are many disagreeable peculiarities about London life. It is the
only place visited by me in all my wanderings, in which I had seen women
insulted in the streets, and where I had been almost every day disgusted
by listening to low language.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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