The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET. 43 perfectly well convinced that an intelligent, well-looking young man could not do otherwise than push his way in the world. ‘‘ Well, girls, have you got every thing ready ?”’ said Mr. Pifpaf, as he buttered his roll: “‘ we must have no delay, you know, at the last moment,” | ‘““Dear me! now you mention it, papa, I really forgot my Byron /” exclaimed Aramintha. ‘‘I would not have left it behind me for worlds!” “‘ Are you particularly fond of Byron?” inquired Buckram, with a most amiable smile. | ‘“*Oh! passionately—devoted!” answered Miss Pifpaf. ‘* Does your lordship like Byron ?”’ ** Yes—pretty well—pretty well ;—much better than a poke in the eye with a fork,” was the gracious and graceful reply. ‘‘And I forgot my skipping-rope!” said Belinda, ‘ Dear papa, shall I be able to romp about on the deck when we are out at sea ?”’ “Oh! yes—if you ain’t sick,” replied Mr. Pifpaf. ‘* My daughter Belinda, my lord, is a most incorrigible romp!” ** So full of spirits,’’ added Captain Pentonville. ‘Ah! I see!—life and animation itself! ”’ ejaculated Mr. Buckram. “Well, I am fond a sb kind of disposition, for my part. You and I, Miss Batilda “* Belinda is her name, my lord,” said Mrs. Pifpaf, meekly correct- ing her guest. ‘‘T beg Miss Belinda’s pardon! But, as I was saying, Miss Belinda and myself must play at hide-and-seek together in the state cabin, on rainy days.” ‘“Qh, my lord!” cried Belinda, oe amiable arehness—or arch-— ness ist was meant to be amiable—whichever the reader chooses. ‘JT wonder whether I have put the last new music, that I received from Paris, in my band-box ?”’ was the speculation which her father’s former observation now extracted from the lips of Miss Sarah Pifpaf. ‘“* Yes—that I am sure you did, my dear,” said Mrs. Pifpaf. “IT presume you are devoted to music?” observed Buckram. _ “Every one of Parisian education is so, my lord,” was the modest reply. | ‘Miss Sarah is quite a proficient in that divine art,” said Captain Pentonville. ‘“‘ By the by, what regiment were you in?”’ demanded the tailor, unaware that there was any indiscretion in the question. “<T wonder whether my man knows at what hour we start ?”” ejacu- lated the captain, bolting from his chair as a chestnut suddenly GComicbooks (E(0)