The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 180: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET. 13] by his feelings, and weeping copiously ; ‘‘ I knew yout lordship would act as my friend. That pocket-book contains a hundred and fifty-five pounds, and my will, in which I give and bequeath the sum of forty pounds per annum to Mrs. Jemima Murgatroyd; and upon her death— “* Very well, very well, my dear fellow,” cried Buckram, cutting short this recapitulation of the last will and testament of Mr. Drink- water Smale; ‘111 follow its instructions to the very letter—just as I do, when a gentleman says that he wants his surtout——” Another concussion on the part of the two gentlemen, caused by the pitching of the vessel, interrupted the tailor’s professional similitude, which rhetorical flourish might, had it been overheard, have somewhat impaired Mr. Smale’s confidence in the executor whom he had se- lected. All Mr. Buckram’s preceding scruples about the title and character of ‘‘lerdship’’ now vanished away: the hundred and fift odd pounds which he transferred, pocket-book and all, to the depths of his own swell pea-coat, gave him confidence and courage ; and, abandoning his ignoble position in the cabin corner, he repaired 1o the deck, after having enjoined Mr. Smale to keep silent (in case he should survive) relative to the business just transacted. ‘IT am going on deck, my dear friend,” said Buckram, squeezing the clerk’s hand, “ to see what: prospects of safety we have before us— to throw my experience and judgment into the scale, along with the captain’s skill—or to be ready, in case of danger, to jump overboard, and swim to shore, that I may be enabled to fulfil the sacred and im- portant trust you have confided to me, Smale, if you die, a marble tomb in Kensal Green Cemetery shall perpetuate your name: and per- haps—wperhaps, 1 say,” added the tailor, mm a voice which had sunk to a low and solemn whisper, ‘‘ perhaps I may use my influence with the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, to havea tablet to your memory placed in Poet’s Corner.” Mr. Smale looked his deep gratitude at this Eieiar Fe and truly nobleman-like promise; and he who gave it hastened to the deck, holding by every thing in his reach as he made his way along. At length, after a world of disasters, the steam-packet entered the waters of Gravelines. Then did the ladies—who lay one over another in their berths, packed just like bales of linen on the shelves ina mercer’s shop—begin to descend from their pigeon-holes. One young lady put her foot upon the dowager’s face as she dropt down from the place where she had been reclining during the stormy passage, and. nearly put out the old lady’s remaining eye. Another lady declared that * for all the world she didn’t know which was the hardest—to get } K 2 CORMIECLOOOLKXS (E()