England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; English fiction -- 19th century
The 'bus they waited for came up, and they went on their way. On
reaching the neighbourhood of Peckham, they struck off through a
complex of small new streets, apparently familiar to Waymark, and came
at length to a little shop, also very new, the windows of which
displayed a fresh-looking assortment of miscellaneous goods. There was
half a large cheese, marked by the incisions of the tasting-knife; a
boiled ham, garlanded; a cone of brawn; a truncated pyramid of spiced
beef, released from its American tin; also German sausage and other
dainties of the kind. Then there were canisters of tea and coffee, tins
of mustard, a basket of eggs, some onions, boxes of baking-powder and
of blacking; all arranged so as to make an impression on the
passers-by; everything clean and bright. Above the window stood in
imposing gilt letters the name of the proprietor: O'Gree.
They entered. The shop was very small and did not contain much stock.
The new shelves showed a row of biscuit-tins, but little else, and from
the ceiling hung balls of string. On the counter lay an inviting round
of boiled beef. Odours of provisions and of fresh paint were strong in
the air. Every thing gleamed from recent scrubbing and polishing; the
floor only emphasised its purity by a little track where a child's
shoes had brought in mud from the street; doubtless it had been washed
over since the Sunday morning's custom had subsided. Wherever the walls
would have confessed their bareness the enterprising tradesman had hung
gorgeous advertising cards. At the sound of the visitors' footsteps,
the door leading out of the shop into the parlour behind opened
briskly, a head having previously appeared over the red curtain, and
Mr. O'Gree, in the glory of Sunday attire, rushed forward with eager
hands. His welcome was obstreperous.
"Waymark, you're a brick! Mr. Casti, I'm rejoiced to receive you in my
establishment! You're neither a minute too soon nor a minute too late.
Mrs. O'Gree only this moment called out from the kitchen that the
kettle was boiling and the crumpets at the point of perfection! I knew
your punctuality of old, Waymark. Mr. Casti, how does it strike you?
Roaring trade, Waymark! Done two shillings and threepence three
farthings this Sunday morning. Look here, me boy,--ho, ho!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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