The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 396: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET. 309 saytisfaction to his master, and keep his hands from picking and steal- ing, and his tongue from evil speaking, lying, and slan—— ” Here Mr. Buckram came to her aid, as she appeared to be wander- ing a little—probably confounding with the object of her present in- quiries some lesson which she had that morning inculcated in the mind of one of the thirteen pledges of affection left her by her revered husband, when he was wafted calmly out of this world in a stream of malt and spi- rituous liquors. The tailor satisfied her with regard to the prosperity of her son Tom; and the tidings so overcame the tender mother, that she insisted upon drinking the health, first, of Captain Pentonville— then of Tom—and then of all the Luminaries at once: had she known their names, there is no doubt she would have drunk them in detail. At length Mr. Buckram was compelled to request a female lodger on the first floor to help the excellent widow to her couch, while he him- self repaired to his own nest in the attic. Next morning Mr. Buckram was up by daylight; and, sallying forth, he bought a quantity of paper and pens, a penknife, and a bottle of ink. He returned home, and sate down to write during the whole day, allowing himself only a quarter of an hour for each meal. He wasted the midnight oil too, without wearying; and day after day did he pur- sue the same routine of labour. He was indefatigable—refusing all professional jobs that presented themselves in the shape of trousers to be seated, and coats to be turned—and not even allowing himself half- an-hour of an evening to join the free-and-easy at the public-house at _ the corner, where he was an especial favourite. Even when Tom Gib- bins called from time to time to see his mother, the tailor wasted no - time in idle conversation with that individual; but, after a few ques- tions relative to Captain Pentonville and the Pifpaf family, retumed to his writing with renewed ardour. This industry on his part lasted for six weeks; at the expiration of which time, he one morning wrote the word ‘ Finis” at the end of his manuscript, and almost immediately afterwards ordered up a bot- - tle of wine to celebrate the completion of his task. Next day he car- ‘ried the fruit of his toils to a printer who had agreed to risk paper and ‘print upon the work; and, in due time, the following announcement appeared in the daily vane cele newspapers :— - Now ready, at all the Circulating Libraries, 2 vols. post 8vo, cloth, TRAVELS IN EUROPE, By Puitiep Buckram, Esa. The publishers’ names were appended ; and it was lucky for them that they were not the speculators also ; for the poor printer found at the Gomichbooks (E(0)