The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

42 THE STEAM PACKET. a known plebeian, would have subjected the new-comer to a some- what dispiriting reception. Miss Aramintha endeavoured to look like one of Byron’s beauties ;—-Belinda longed to—but dared not—cut a pirouette ;—Sarah played the piano upon the edge of the table with her fingers; and Mrs. Pifpaf absolutely and really forgot all about her ‘ poor head” for a few minutes. | ‘‘ This is an honour, my lord, which we have long expected,” said the lady of the house, with a most fascinating simper. ‘“‘T have really been very much to blame—very much,” returned Buckram, ‘‘ for not having done myself the pleasure of calling before; but, somehow or another, there was always something to prevent me— pressing appointments during the day,—free-and-easies—I mean the business of the House in ne evening,—and then those cursed Satur- day evenings, when one expects his breeches—another his coat— another {¢ | | ‘‘ Parliamentary technicalities, ladies,’ ejaculated the captain, who was now constantly apt the alert to correct any errors into which his friend might fall 5 ‘‘ merely parliamentary phrases-r ogni in the House—are they not, Noodleton ?”’ ‘‘VYes—as the goose itself,’’ answered the tailor, who could not entirely shake off ‘‘ the shop.”’ _ “The goose means the Lord Chancellor, ladies,” said Captain Pen- tonville: ‘ ue friend Noodleton is full of parliamentary sayings and synonymes.” ‘“¢ Well—to breakfast—to breakfast ! !? exclaimed Mr. Pifpaf. “ It is now nearly half-past eight, and we must be at the wharf by ten. My lord, perhaps you will condescend to partake of our humble fare?” ‘‘ Humble, indeed!” cried the tailor. ‘‘I fancy, my good friend Pifpaf, that you citizens know how to live as well as we aristocrats at the West End. But I told you that I should come in a humble way— incognito, as it were—without carriages—without horses—without servants,—indeed, without incumbrances of any kind.” Mr. Buckram was not far wrong when he thus alluded to his pre- sent condition. His portmanteau contained twelve calico shirts, with linen bosoms, at three and sixpence each; eighteen false collars, at ninepence a-piece; six pocket- handkersiness of different patterns, because they were purchased in Petticoat Lane, Whitechapel, at fifteen pence each; a change of clothes, shaving materials, &c.;—and his pocket contained a floating capital of five guineas. In addition to this property, he possessed an amazing stock of impudence; and with such qualifications as these now enumerated, Mr. Buckram felt 99 Gomichbooks (@) COr