A BEGGAR'S REPAST.
Our friend, who had such singular ideas in a cadging house of what
ought to be, was himself but one of those who existed by his wits. Two
pieces of leather hung round his feet and ankles, which for
resemblance came nearer to sandals than boots. The rest of his garb,
of course, corresponded.
We observed before, that, when he came in, he had his arms full of
good things--among which were a sixpenny cottage-loaf, half a pound of
butter, two ounces of coffee, a quarter of a pound of sugar, and
half-a dozen eggs. He now busied himself in putting those things in
order, and quietly suffered the promising boy to take his will down to
the road to ruin. The loaf he cut down into substantial slices, and
covered them well and thickly with the rich cured cream of the cow; he
put the whole of the coffee into the pan and boiled and simmered it
with such attention as clearly showed that, at least in the culinary
department, he was a man of taste; and although he did not mix with
his beverage any of that much-talked-of continental stuff--succory,
yet such was the sweet-smelling odour, as the steam wafted by us, that
we could not help thinking that such highly-flavoured drink could not
fail to find favour, even in the nostrils of the very Ottoman himself.
This being done, he placed it upon the table, and called loudly for
his mate.
[Illustration]
And here it may be necessary to observe, that your professed vagabonds
who live unmarried, always associate in pairs--like the soldier with
his comrade, and the sailor with his messmate; it is probably owing to
so many of the latter being members of this fraternity, that this
seafaring phrase has become to be adopted. Be that as it may, however,
the cadger and his mate sleep together, mess together, and share each
other's good and bad luck; the most prudent of the two being always
the purser.
The individual who answered to the call was a short, punchy, filthy
animal, of middle age, half covered with rags. His breast was as bare
and as highly coloured as the chest of a Red Indian; owing, perhaps,
to sleeping in the open air, or laying among the cinder heaps of
glass-houses. Jamie, for that was his name, was, however, a professed
gentleman of the road; had an eye as sleepy and as cunning as a cat;
and, to use his low jargon, was "up to summat," and knew "what was
what."
His mate passed a few jokes upon him, at his skill in gulling swells,
and taking in flats; for he was considered an adept. Jamie chucked at
the compliments, and smiled at what was before them. They then fell to
the viands, and ate with the hearty gusto of robust health. The eggs
were certainly boiled too hard; but that defect they took good care to
remedy, by softening them well with nice fresh butter, neither crying
"Halt!" until there remained not the shadow of crust.
[Illustration]
After this slight refection, like the rest of the _gemmen_ who live
by their means, they wiped their chins with their napkins--the cuffs
of their coats--arose, and went out to that sink of ruin, the gin
shop, to rinse their teeth with a little rum, that being the favourite
stimulus of the begging tribe. The twopenny dram of pure Jamaica is
preferred by them, and particularly those who live in the country, to
any other kind of malt, or spirituous liqueurs.
[Illustration]