Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 99, December 27, 1890Various
General
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 99, December 27, 1890
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
"Good morning, BURROWES," said the Master; "how's your poor feet? Can
you catch. One, two, three, heads!" and with that he flung the crust
he held in his hand at the astounded Dean, and landed him fairly on
the right cheek. Dr. GORGIAS then executed a pirouette, kissed his
hand to Mrs. JOGGINS, and disappeared into the Master's lodge. "From
this good man," said Mrs. JOGGINS to the Dean, "you may learn a
lesson of unassuming kindness; but time presses; we must hurry on. By
virtue of the power vested in me by the Queen of the Fairies, whose
ambassadress I am in Grantaford, I have summoned back to St. Michael's
all the Undergraduates. You shall see them." In vain the miserable
Dean protested that he had seen too much of them. The Fairy JOGGINS
was inexorable. She waved her wand, a yard of butter congealed to
the hardness of oak by the frosty morning, and in a moment the Court
was filled with Undergraduates. They were all smoking, and suddenly
the Dean became aware that he too had a lighted cigar in his mouth,
and was puffing at it. At the same moment he discovered that he
was wearing a disgracefully battered college-cap, and a brilliant
"blazer," lately invented by a rowdy set as the badge of their
dining Club. He shuddered, but it was useless. He put his hand in his
coat-pocket. It contained a bottle of champagne.
The Undergraduates now formed a procession and began to defile past
him. "Smoking in the Court, half-a-crown," said one, in a dreadful
voice. "Mr. BURROWES irregular in his attendance at Chapel, gated at
eight," roared a second. "Mr. BURROWES persistently disorderly, sent
down for the term," shouted a third; and then they all began to caper
round the hapless man whom the Fairy Queen had betrayed into their
power. They taunted him and reviled him. "You have mined our homes,
poisoned our fathers' happiness, undermined the trusting confidence of
our mothers. You have been a bad man. You must perish!" and thus the
dreadful chorus went on while the Dean stood stupidly in the centre of
the throng puffing violently at one of the largest cigars ever seen in
St. Michael's. At last the Fairy waved her wand again, and in a moment
the shouts ceased and the crowd disappeared. "See," she said, "the
result of intemperate disciplinarian zeal!" But Mr. BURROWES neither
heard nor heeded. He had collapsed.
CHAPTER III.--_WIDE AWAKE!_
It was Christmas Morning. Mr. BURROWES was still sitting in his chair
before the fire-place, but the fire was out. He woke and looked round.
Mrs. JOGGINS had just come in, and was staring at him in surprise.
"Lor, Sir," she said, "what a turn you give me, sitting here in your
keepin'-room. I never knew you to do sech a thing before as sit up
all night." But the Dean had fallen on his knees before her, and was
babbling out prayers for pardon and vows of reform.
CHAPTER IV.--_A CHRISTMAS MORN._
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account