Mornings at Bow Street: A Selection of the Most Humorous and Entertaining Reports which Have Appeared in the 'Morning Herald'Wight, J. (John)
General
Mornings at Bow Street: A Selection of the Most Humorous and Entertaining Reports which Have Appeared in the 'Morning Herald'
Wight, J. (John)
Crime -- England -- London
"About my bitch, vaut I lost four months ago, your vurship. I lost her in
pup, and I knows the man vaut's fun her, and now she's pupp'd six pups,
and says he to me, says he, 'You shall either have the bitch vithout the
pups, or the pups vithout the bitch; an if so be as you don't like that,
you shan't have neither of 'em'--and so vaut am I to do, your vurship?"
"Why go along and mind your business," replied his worship--and the master
costermonger retired from court without having taken anything by his
motion.
A TEA PARTY.
Joseph Arnold, Esq., of Duck-lane, Westminster, a retired
hackney-coachman, better known by the title of "the Rough Diamond," and as
the intimate friend of Bill Gibbons, Esq. P.C. Com. Gen. was brought
before the sitting magistrate under the following awkward circumstances:--
Mr. Peter Guy, who is a tailor[2] (by _trade_), and Mrs. Peter Guy, were
invited to tea by the accomplished hostess of the Russian Hotel in
Bow-street. Mr. Joseph Arnold, Mr. Joseph Arnold's housekeeper, and
several other ladies and gentlemen, were of the party. There was toast and
prime Dorset, and muffins and crumpets, with Gunpowder and Bohea for the
ladies; and pig's-face, red-herrings, and hot coffee for the gentlemen; in
short, there was everything quite genteel and comfortable. Now it so
happened that Mr. Peter Guy wore a white-poodle[3] upper benjamin, of his
own make, on the occasion, and this unfortunate dress upset the comfort of
the whole party. Mr. Joseph Arnold first observed, that Mr. Peter Guy's
poodle-benjamin was as pretty a bit of toggery[4] as ever he _seed_. All
the company agreed to this, except one lady (Mrs. Jonathan Guy), who
remarked that it looked rather too warm-like and smothery for fireside
wear. Mr. Joseph Arnold observed it warn't a morsel too warm for those as
had any gumption[5] in 'em; and he offered to bet a shilling that he could
get it on, if so be as Mr. Peter Guy would be kind enough to peel.[6]
There was not a lady in company who did not laugh out-right at this
proposition, because Mr. Joseph Arnold is a large round man, upwards of
six feet high, and Mr. Peter Guy, as one of the ladies very justly
observed, is a little hop-o'-my-thumb chap, not much above half as big.
Mr. J. Arnold, however, swore by _goles_ (a favourite oath of his) that he
would not flinch from his bet; and at length Mr. Peter Guy took him at his
word, the stakes were deposited, and Mr. Peter Guy having slipped out of
his benjamin, Mr. Joseph Arnold squeezed himself into it, without a vast
deal of trouble; though, when it was on, the sleeves did not reach much
below his elbows. Mr. Peter Guy readily admitted that he was done,[7] and
requested his benjamin again; but Mr. Joseph Arnold refused to restore it,
observing, that it was a prime fit, and he would give it a turn among the
swells in Duck-lane. The ladies remonstrated, the gentlemen laughed, the
noise ran high; the tea tables were hurried away, and the crumpets were
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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