The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 368: what you’re looking at

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

“HE STEAM PACKET, 3 287 with you in the evenin’, to hear the revverrend mister Smackcushin who does hold forth so godly that when I were there last evening, I couldn’t a help thinkin’ how pleased you would have been to have been with me to have heard it. I can’t say but what you and me, Mr.Gibbings, may be happy together; but we haven’t seen each other all together more than a few ours yet; and I don’t think that’s quite suffishent to unable us to juge of each other. I hope you won’t be hangry, but I con- sulted Mrs. Moggles which washes for us, and Mrs. Liggins, which is the cook, you remember; and they both said it were like your impe- rence to perpose to a young lady which you’d on’y seen vonce as von may say. But Mrs. Mogeles softened arter I give her a drop of gin and _ cloves, and said, ‘ Well, -he is a amiable young man;’ and when she’d had the peat ches, she declared, with tears in her eyes, that you was a most desperate insiniwatin’ young feller. Now I don’t say this, Mr. Gibbings, sir, to make you wain, but on’y to show you how pru- _ dent young wimen of my age shouldbe. If you do like to rite to me again, you had better just let me know when you shall be in England once more, as there’s no use taking one by supprise. At the same time I don’t ask you to write; but if you do of course I shall arnser it. ! ‘¢ JANE.” By the time Mr. Gibbins had brought this letter to a conclusion, he reached the Hotel d’Angleterre, into the courtyard of which he turned with a smiling countenance, for he perceived that his suit was not alto- gether unacceptable to the pretty chambermaid of ne White Hart at Margate. | ‘*Tom,” said a familiar voice, as he entered the hotel. “ “Sir,” replied Mr. Gibbins, touching his hat to Mr. Pifpaf, by whom he was now confronted. ‘Did you have a letter to deliver to me from any one, Tom?” demanded the chairman. ** I did, sir,” was the answer. ** And ae has become of it?” “< Lost, sir.” “* Really, Dales ” said Mr. Pifpaf, whose good nature and generous heart prompted him to hunt after any circumstances which might seem to extenuate or atone for the captain’s conduct ;—‘ really Tom, really 2” **On my hoath, sir,” answered Mr. Gibbins; “and if you was to — put me on the rack, and grind all my limbs to powder as fine as flour, sir, you wouldn't get no other reply, cos it’s the blessed truth.” “Very well, Tom—very well,” said Mr. Pifpaf, scarcely knowing whether to decide that the master and man were in collusion together, Gomicbooks (E(0)