AN UNDER-DEPUTY.
A strange phenomenon about this time grinned in at the door, his face
all wrinkled with age and smiles, and an extremely short pipe in his
mouth, which was no other than Ben, the under-deputy, a snub-nosed,
hard-featured, squat old boy, with a horn lantern in his hand, to see
if any body wanted to turn in (go to bed).
As this individual is a fine specimen of the class to which he
belongs, a slight sketch, perhaps, may not be unnecessary.
The deputies, we have before stated, are the men-servants of those
establishments, they being better adapted as the waiters of these
noisy houses than women. Ben our present subject, had all his life
been a roadsman, and lived, as the professional phrase goes, the best
way he could; and now, in his old days, when his legs had become
rather heavy for a tramp, had secured to himself that comfortable
retreat--under-butler of the Beggar's Hall. He was well calculated to
be the drudge of a common lodging house;--laborious, dull, and
good-natured, answering every call, with as much patience as Francis
in Henry the Fourth, with his "Anon anon!" He could sit up night and
day--neither age nor toil seemed to have made much impression on his
sinewy and hardened frame; indeed, to use the common saying, he was
considered by all to be a durable slave.
Besides these serviceable qualities, Ben was considered a great
favourite with the lodgers; was never known to utter a testy word,
save and only then, when the _'bacco_ grew short; like the rest of his
tribe, he was an eternal smoker. This misfortune however, in being
short of Virginia, was seldom of long duration. He never kept that
event a secret; and, on such occasions, what could any honest-hearted
cadger do, but offer their pouch to the willing old lad?
To light the lodgers to bed, was Ben's regular task--from eleven at
night till three during the week, and until four on the Sunday
morning.
At this summons, one or two who had become drowsy through the powerful
influence of the pipe or pot, roused themselves upon their
legs--stretched their arms out, and yawned, which was as much as to
say, "they would follow." Ben took the hint, and moved on with his
lantern, like an ostler leading horses to the stable, to show to which
house in the building, and to what room, they were to repose their
precious selves.
[Illustration]