The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 185: what you’re looking at

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

136 THE STEAM PACKET, bottel—I see no horn; and I tink my friend ‘as mad as one mareh- ing hair.’ When dey done fighting, my friend say, ‘It dram battel ; and dey can hardly draw dere breath.’ Den I laugh so I shall be ready to split all my sides, when I tink how many ways de same word draw did serve out. My friend was ver much delightful for see dat fight; but to me it shall be dreadfool; so as de provarbe say, ‘ What as some meat for one man,.1s somebody else poisson,” ” — “Vell, look at the richness o’ your own langvidge now!” ejacu- lated Mr. Gibbins, with an air of triumph: “don’t you say powson for pison and fish both ? And then vere’s sich conwincing argiments in the French as our ‘God d that, Mr. Frog!” “Ah! ah! you make ie one grand ee Mr. Bull,” returned the commissioner, chuckling. “Ve say poison for de pison, and poisson for de fish. But let me show more illustration. My friend at Eaagee he take me see him buy some furniture. He say, ‘ Dere pretty chest o drawers.’ Draw again, by my soul! Den he say, ‘I got pain in my chest; but as de tea-time draws near, we will go to de home.’ I tink I was never see to de finish of de draws; but de pro- — _varbe'say, ‘ He zs long lain dat was never turn hiaeole ® ‘‘Wery pretty, wery pretty!” said Mr. Gibbins. “But as I’ve put that there little billy-doo into the post now, ‘spose we jist turns in here to this crib, and finishes the little argiment over a drop o punch ?” Mr. Gibbins entered a public-house, or cabaret, as he spoke; and when he and the commissioner were supplied with the liquor they fancied, the latter proceeded in his pigagee 4 of English synonymes. “ Dat evening, I see my friend’s wife a sweepin’ out her mas’er’s drawing-room ; and I ask where my friend be. She say he gone to bed, cos she sure he catch a cold at de water; but I was sure him catch noting but fish. Next morning — I go breakfast wis my friend ; and his wife say, “You take anoder cup when de teadram.’ So as de : provarbe was be, ‘ Dere ts many a sleep between de cup and his lip.’ To laugh I was a great inchination; but I tink, ‘ De least dat ts said shall be mended direetly.’ Igo for see my sick friend in his room, to four pair of stairs. His sheek was swell more largeI ever shall see wis de ake of his tooth. He say, ‘1 have do much tings for draw de cold out, but I vas have to-morrow de dentist for draw my tooth. I have been oblige to myself for put blistare behind my ear!’ Den his vife say, ‘De blistare draw nicely.’ Every ting vas draw : as de provarbe say, ‘ /é¢ never pains but at roars.” Eomichbooks: co me,’ I should like to know? Answer me