"Won't you have something to eat?" said I.
"Eat? Oh no; I can't eat anything. Give me drink;" and he held out his
hand for the pannikin. I perceived how it trembled and shook, and I
observed it to him.
"Yes;" replied he, "that's always the case after a carouse, and I had a
good one last night--the first for many a year. But there's plenty more
of it. I wish you would get me a little more now, Frank, just to steady
me; just about two or three mouthfuls, no more; that is, no more till
night time. Did I make much noise last night?"
"You sang several songs," replied I, "with which I was much amused."
"I'm glad that you liked them. I used to be considered a good singer in
my day; indeed, if I had not been such good company, as they term it, I
had not become so fond of drinking. Just go and fetch me about half an
inch high of the pannikin, my good fellow, that's all I want now."
I went down to the cask, drew off the quantity that he requested, and
brought it to him. He drank it off; and, in a few moments, appeared to
be quite himself again. He then asked for some thing to eat, and
commenced telling me a variety of stories relative to what he termed
jolly parties in his former days; so that the day passed very agreeably.
As the night closed in, he said:
"Now, Frank, I know you want to hear some more songs; so go down and
bring me up a full pannikin, and I will sing you plenty."
I complied with his request, for I was anxious to be again amused as I
was the night before. The consequence was, that this night was, in the
early portion of it, but a repetition of the previous one. Jackson took
the precaution to get into his bed-place before he commenced drinking;
and, as soon as he had taken his second dose, he asked me what sort of
songs I liked. My reply naturally was, that I had never heard any one
sing but him, and therefore could not say.
"What did I sing to you last night?" said he.