The Comic Almanack, Volume 1: An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and OdditiesThackeray, William Makepeace
Philosophy
The Comic Almanack, Volume 1: An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities
Thackeray, William Makepeace
Almanacs, English -- England -- London; English wit and humor
There was a fine cold collation, to which the friends of the
Ladies-Patronesses were admitted; after which, my ladies and their beaux
went strolling through the walks; Tagrag and the Count having each an
arm of Jemmy; the Baron giving an arm a-piece to Madame and Jemimarann.
Whilst they were walking whom should they light upon but poor Orlando
Crump, my successor in the perfumery and hair-cutting.
"Orlando!" says Jemimarann, blushing as red as a label, and holding out
her hand.
"Jemimar!" says he, holding out his, and turning as white as pomatum.
"_Sir!_" says Jemmy, as stately as a Duchess.
"What! madame," says poor Crump, "don't you remember your shopboy?"
"Dearest mamma, don't you recollect Orlando?" whimpers Jemimarann.
"Miss Tuggeridge Coxe," says Jemmy, "I'm surprised of you. Remember,
sir, that our position is altered, and oblige me by no more
familiarity."
"Insolent fellow!" says the Baron; "vat is dis canaille?"
"Canal yourself, Mounseer," says Orlando, now grown quite furious; he
broke away, quite indignant, and was soon lost in the crowd. Jemimarann,
as soon as he was gone, began to look very pale and ill; and her mamma,
therefore, took her to a tent, where she left her along with Madame
Flicflac and the Baron; going off herself with the other gentlemen, in
order to join us.
It appears they had not been seated very long when Madame Flicflac
suddenly sprung up, with an exclamation of joy, and rushed forward to a
friend whom she saw pass.
The Baron was left alone with Jemimarann; and, whether it was the
champagne, or that my dear girl looked more than commonly pretty, I
don't know; but Madame Flicflac had not been gone a minute when the
Baron dropped on his knees, and made her a regular declaration.
Poor Orlando Crump had found me out by this time, and was standing by my
side, listening, as melancholy as possible, to the famous Bohemian
Minne-singers, who were singing the celebrated words of the poet Gothy:
Ich bui ya hupp lily lee, du bist ya hupp lily lee,
Wir sind doch hupp lily lee, hupp la lily lee.
Chorus.—Yodle-odle-odle-odle-odle-odle hupp! yodle-odle-aw-o-o-o.
They were standing with their hands in their waistcoats, as usual, and
had just come to the o-o-o, at the end of the chorus of the
forty-seventh stanza, when Orlando started: "That's a scream!" says he.
"Indeed it is," says I; "and, but for the fashion of the thing, a very
ugly scream too:" when I heard another shrill "O!" as I thought; and
Orlando bolted off, crying, "By heavens, it's _her_ voice!" "Whose
voice?" says I. "Come and see the row," says Tag; and off we went, with
a considerable number of people, who saw this strange move on his part.
We came to the tent, and there we found my poor Jemimarann fainting; her
mamma holding a smelling-bottle; the Baron, on the ground, holding a
handkerchief to his bleeding nose; and Orlando squaring at him, and
calling on him to fight if he dared.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
The Comic Almanack, Volume 1: An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities — John Shaqi
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