The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 115: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

82 THE STEAM PACKET. cap dragged the wig along with them, and then Mr. Tiptile’s leg dragged all away together. — ‘“< There ’s a vig—dash mine!” cried the same voice which had been before heard, and concerning which Captain Pentonville entertained a certain shrewd suspicion. ““God bless me! help the lady—here—there—help—help!”’ ex claimed Mr. Pifpaf, running hither and thither in a singular state of be- wilderment, and never once thinking that his object would be answered by just extending a hand towards his late partner in the dance. ““ My eyes, what a lark!” cried the sailor at the wheel. “Qh! how shocking!” said the ladies; but although they said so, they enjoyed the scene as much as anybody. At length the dowager succeeded in gaining her legs; and throwing a shawl over her bald head, she rushed franticly towards the ladies’ cabin, down the ladder of which she rolled rather than ran, and arrived so suddenly and unceremoniously in the presence of the stewardess, that the good woman imagined for a moment she was visited by a maniac let loose from Bedlam. Fortunately the wig was not irrepa- rably injured; and when the dowager again appeared upon deck, a few moments previous to landing at Dunkirk, Mr. Pifpaf completely mended matters by assuring her that she looked just for all the world as if she wore her own hair, and not a wig. The dancing was put an end to, and the Luminaries dispersed them- selves in little groups over the deck. Of course the Pifpafs were the centre of a somewhat large one in the spot which they usually occu- pled; and now, by some accident, the conversation turned upon music. Mr, Smale was particularly fond of music, and he was also par- ticularly fond of Miss Sarah Pifpaf, to whom he ventured to prefer a request that she would favour “‘ the company ”’ with a song. Captain Pentonville seconded the demand; and when Lord Noodleton (so deemed) supported it, a refusal became impossible. Miss Sarah accordingly sang, in a pleasant voice, and with some taste, the ensuing stanzas :-— SONG. I love the crystal fountain ; I love the bright cascade, That issues from the mountain, And flows into the glade. I love the flashing billow Of dark November’s sea, That forms the sailor’s pillow, © And sings his lullaby. Gomichbooks co ee ee ae Se ee ~