Frank Fairlegh, or, Scenes from the life of a private pupil . orm we wereintroduced to the mixed race of children and pigs, between whichheads clearer than that of Mrs. Coleman might have been at a lossto distinguish; for if the pigs did not exactly resemble children, thechildren most assuiedly looked like pigs. Here we seemed likely toremain for some time, as there was much business to be transactedby the two matrons. First, Mrs. Colemans basket was unpacked,during which process that lady delivered a long harangue, settingforth the rival merits of plum-pudding and black draught, andingeniousl
Frank Fairlegh, or, Scenes from the life of a private pupil . orm we wereintroduced to the mixed race of children and pigs, between whichheads clearer than that of Mrs. Coleman might have been at a lossto distinguish; for if the pigs did not exactly resemble children, thechildren most assuiedly looked like pigs. Here we seemed likely toremain for some time, as there was much business to be transactedby the two matrons. First, Mrs. Colemans basket was unpacked,during which process that lady delivered a long harangue, settingforth the rival merits of plum-pudding and black draught, andingeniously establishing a connection between them, which has ren-dered the former nearly as distasteful to me as the latter ever glancing slightly at the over-starched nightcap, and delieatelyreferring to the anti-teetotal propensities of the laundi-esss spouse,she contrived so thoroughly to confuse and interlace the varioustopics of her discourse, as to render it an open question whetherthe male Muddles had not got tipsy on black draught in consequence. PRANK FAIRLEGH 225 of the plum-pudding having over-starched the nightcap; moreover,she distinctly called the latter article poor fellow ! twice. In replyto this, Mrs. Muddles, the skin of whose hands was crimped up intopatterns like seaweed, from the amphibious nature of her employment,and whose general appearance was, from the same cause, moist andspongy, expressed much gratitude for the contents of the basketmade a pathetic apology to the nightcap, tried to ignore the imbibingpropensity of her better half; but, when pressed home upon the point,declared that when he was not engaged in the! Circe-like operation of making a beast of hisself, he was one of the most virtuousest ofmen; and finally wound up by a minute medical detail of Johnnyschilblain, accompanied by a slight retrospective sketch of MaryAnnes departed whooping-cough. How much longer the conversa-tion might have continued, it is impossible to say, for it was ev
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsmedleyf, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1875
