Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 103, July 16, 1892 — John Shaqi
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 103, July 16, 1892Various
General
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 103, July 16, 1892
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
The Election at Sheepsdoor being regarded as a "moral" for our
Candidate--(what a delightful change from the _im-moral_ way in which
elections _used_ to be conducted!)--I felt it was safe for me to
wing my flight to fresh scenes and pastures new!--not that I wanted
any "new pastures," having been a _grass_-widow for some time;--but
having had enough of the "rolling billow"--(by the way, the rolling
"_Billow_" at Stockbridge didn't roll fast enough)--I yearned for the
silvery smoothness of Father Thames, so started for Henley with my
faithful _Eulalie_--(I really must change her name, it sounds like
a Swiss joedel); but, oh! my goodness!--talk about _billows_--the
Channel passage is a fool to what we found at Henley! Waves mountain
high!--(This of course is an exaggeration, but I've read it so often
in sea-novels, that I've almost come to believe it possible--it would
be nearer the truth, as dear Mrs. RAMSBOTHAM would pronounce it, I
fancy--waves "mounting high.") I had to sit all day on the roof of the
_Bobolink_, with a lifebelt or _something_ round my waist!--and having
made me acquaintance of a sweet youth who could swim, I implored him
not to leave me!--and he didn't--the whole day long. Ah! he was _very_
nice!--I need not tell you I didn't notice the racing _much_, but I
did take an interest in _two_ of the contests; viz.--(I don't know
what "viz." means--but I _do_ know I am using it correctly)--The
Diamond Sculls, and The Ladies' Challenge. The Diamonds were
walked off, or rowed off to Holland--(great place, I'm told, for
diamonds)--by Mr. K. OOMS (who evidently "kooms" of an athletic
stock), amid the generous cheers of our defeated Englishmen! The
other--and naturally, from its title, the most important event--was
competed for by two boat-loads from Cambridge University--_Crews_,
I believe, they call them, but I always thought it was a sign of
contempt to allude to any party of people as "a crew." However
that may be, I was informed that "First Trinity had carried off the
Ladies!" (just as if they were a pack of Sabine women), and I suppose
it was true; though, in counting up the Ladies in sight, I only missed
_one_--and she, I found, had fallen into the river, and been gallantly
rescued by a spectator, who, I presume, was determined to have _his_
share, in spite of the First Trinity Men!
Back to town, after all was over on Thursday, to find everybody
wild with "election fever." A large group surrounding the "tape" at
the Club (I belong to the "Amazon," of course), and ordering lemon
squashes when a seat was lost, and whiskey and seltzer when the
reverse was the case! Oh, this Election! Thank goodness, I'm off to
Newmarket, to spend the week with Sir NEWMAN and Lady GATESHEAD, with
a distinct feeling of relief at getting back to business after this
fortnight of exciting relaxation!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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