Merrie England in the olden time / by George Daniel.

  • George Daniel
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Merrie England in the olden time / by George Daniel. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    171/472 page 159
    159 do you make these animals so apprehensive and docile ? I fear there is some cruelty in the case.” “ No cruelty at all, good sir,” replied the lecturing musician, who was the organ of the company. “ It is your Smithfield drovers and butchers as is cruel ! We don’t lam our hanimals to dance on red-hot iron plates, as our aunt’s sisters (ancestors ?) did. Now that ’ere monkey o’ mine ; never was sich a wain little cove! It costes me a fortin in starch to stiffen his shirt collars; and if any on ’em is in the least limp, my wig ! he chatters, grins, and ^es himself all the airs and graces of a fine lady. Some- times I lam him his dooty by long lessons and short com- mons; sometimes I threatens—only threatens!—(but that in your honour’s ear, for he’s a-listening all the while !) to tip him monkey’s allowance (shaking ferociously a very thin cane); but when I want to touch his feelings, I says, ‘ Jackimo, you’re a good-for-nuffin little monster, and I’ll walk off your red waistcoat 1’ ” “ But the monkey and the bear, how relish they the razor?” Kindly, sir, kindly !” replied the Bruin shaver. “At first my old feller was summut rough and ugly; his beard turned the hedges of three oyster-knives afore I could trim him into a gentleman. But now he sees the advantage on it. Don’t you, my daisy ?” The bear, after the fashion of the Irish echo, was made to ventriloquize m a growl, gruffly, “ I does, my tulip !” The several rehearsals being over, and all things put in order for their approaching campaign, the exhibitors were about to depart, when it occurred to Uncle Timothy that he had not paid his footing for being admitted behind the scenes. He addressed the real wild Indian, and begged her to call for what best pleased her palate ; which call resolved itself into a rasher on the coals, a rummer of nutbrown, and a thimbleful of brandy to keep off the spasms. She was
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3