The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

an is ons ates = 7 THE STEAM PACKET, 59 balance, and rolled upon the deck: we say fortunately, because the tailor would have certainly committed himself beyond all means of reparation, and his earl’s coronet would have been suddenly ex- changed for a goose and shears. Mr. Pifpaf fell against one of the seats which ran down the middle of the deck abaft the funnel; and a small spaniel dog, which had been hitherto crouching timidly beneath the bench, now rushed forth, and menaced the honourable chairman with an attack, barking most furiously the whole time. ‘¢ Rumiutch,” cried Tiptile, “‘ there’s the chairman down; go and pick him up! I[can’t—I’m so ill.” ‘¢ Devil take the chairman and you too!” exclaimed the secretary. “¢ Steward—get me a—bot—ot—le of so—o—da wa—a—ter!”’ And the two second officers of the club rivalled each other in the violence of their retchings. The captain and the tailor hastened to the assistance of the unfortu- nate Mr. Pifpaf, beat off the dog from his venerable carcass, and placed him comfortably upon the seat. ‘* My lord,” cried the old gentleman, wiping his face, upon which the spray had been beating, ‘‘ this condescension on your part fe ‘‘ Pray don’t mention it, my dear fellow,” interrupted Buckram. ** T am always willing to help people out of their difficulties; particu- larly those for whom T entertain an affection. Why—it was but three nights ago that I had to wheel the Lord Chancellor home in a barrow, he was so confoundedly drunk—we’d all been dining together. The thing got into the opposition papers, though; the Thunderer gave a leader two columns and a half long about it: but I dare say you saw it.”’ “« Yes—I think I did,” answered Mr. Pifpaf, willing to have seen or read anything which his lordship wished him to have witnessed or perused. “Ah! I thought you did,” said Buckram ; mai as he walked away, he added, ‘‘ with a hook, I suppose !”’ Mr, Pifpaf tried the brandy-and-water, and immediately vomited it all up again. He then essayed the gin-and-water; and the conse- quences were even more painful still, for the vomiting returned, with increased retching. He was about to try some bottled stout, by way of a little pleasing variation, when the captain of the packet brought him, with his own hand, a little piece of lump-sugar, on which about half-a-dozen drops of creosote, or essence procured from the distilla- tion of wood, had been poured. The effect was astonishingly prompt. In five minutes Mr. Pifpaf was enabled to walk the deck im the full enjoyment of health and spirits, and to administer the same remedy ~ Eomichbooks (E(0)