PUNCH,
OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
Vol. 109.
September 21, 1895.
Strange Minister (to Elder). "Do you come up to the Pulpit forthe Collection?"
Elder. "Na, na. We're no Partickler to a Bawbee here!"
THE END OF GEORGIE'S AND JACKY'S HOLIDAYS.
(A Second Extract from the Note-Book of Mr. Barlow the Younger.)
Now that the summer vacation is drawing rapidly to a close, it maybe as well to record the end of the holidays of my two interestingcharges, Georgie and Jacky. Some little time sinceI wrote the story of one of their exploits. The two lads do notlive a very eventful life even in their hours of recreation. Duringthe mid-annual recess I usually choose some delightful spot for ourtemporary home, combining the joint charms of change of scene andincreased economy. The fashionable watering-place of Drainville-on-Seahas a suburb in which apartments may be obtained at a very reasonablefigure. The reason for this lowness of price is no doubt to be tracedto the fact that many of the residences are in the habitation of thesuperfluous live stock of a very prosperous pork merchant, havinghis house of business in the neighbourhood. However, in spite of ourdistance from Drainville-on-Sea, my lads have been fairly contentedwith their lot. They have been able to fish, to climb trees, and totake long walks.
"Revered Sir," said, on one occasion, Georgie, who isgenerally accepted as the spendthrift of my brace of students, "itwould give great pleasure to Jacky if you were kindly to giveme a shilling with which to purchase Japanese caramel cannon-balls. Ihave reasons for believing that his medical attendant, Dr. CoffynBlockhead, considers that this delicious sweetstuff, or, I shouldsay, pleasing physic, would be of much benefit to him."
"Why is the lad ill?" I asked, with an anxiety tempered withincredulity.
"No, revered Sir," promptly replied Georgie; "and I fancythat Dr. Coffyn Blockhead regards the composition, which maybe obtained at a penny the ounce, or two ounces for three halfpence,rather as a preventative than a curative. Were Jacky tohave a shilling's-worth, he would not only possess enough to wardoff the shaft of the destroyer himself, but would be able to giveme a sufficient quantity to parry the insidious dart of disease;and that you might be satisfied that the money was expended in thelife-protecting compound in question, I would willingly undertake tomake the purchase."
Here Jacky protested that he was quite old and conscientiousenough to be trusted with the cash himself.