increased in London of late years, that they find it necessary to have
extensive ware-rooms at the top of the house; and in order to save the
trouble of running up and down stairs, they have invented a spout of
communication between the ware-rooms and the shop. So that, whenever an
unfortunate takes his unmentionables, or any other article to pledge, the
pawnbroker places them at the bottom of the spout, and "by some cantrip
slight" or other, up the spout they go slap into the ware-rooms in an
instant, where they remain until the day of redemption, and then, up goes
the duplicate ticket, and down comes the unmentionables again.
[10] _The Waits_--Those wandering minstrels, who, on the approach of
Christmas, nightly serenade the sleeping public by license of the king's
sergeant trumpeter.
[11] _Bread-basket_, _dumpling depot_, _victualling office_, _&c._, are
terms given by the "Fancy" to the digestive organ.
[12] Gin.--_Deady_ is, or was, a celebrated distiller of that lively
liquid.
[13] _Charley_--Corinthianish for _Watchman_.
[14] _Canisters_--Corinthianish for _Heads_.
[15] _Riddled it_--made it full of holes, like a riddle.
[16] _Bilk_, from the Gothic _Bilaican_, to cheat, to defraud.
[17] What a pity it is that the poor gentleman never thought of cutting
his boots away with a knife! But _nemo mortalium, &c._
[18] Something which may be drank in a short time, and yet have a lengthy
effect.
[19] A _dodger_ is ginshop-ish for a _dram_.
[20] "This is a _sessionable_ assault; that is to say, an assault worthy
of trial at Quarter Sessions."--_Country Justice._
[21] _Kennedy_--St. Giles's for the _poker_, from a man of that name being
killed by a poker, or a man of that name killing another with that
instrument.
[22] Query _inured_.
[23] _Gal_--cockney for _girl_.
[24] _Heavy wet_--Porter;--because, the more a man drinks of it, the
heavier he becomes.
[25] A back room on the third floor.
[26] A _jemmy_ is a sheep's head--a favourite dish with those who can get
no other. For _jugg'd_, see Dr. Kitchiner on "jugg'd hare," &c.
[27] _Max-upon-tick_--pronounced, maxapontic--a very gentleman-like term,
invented by certain learned tailors, signifying _scored gin_--or _gin upon
credit--max_ being cockneyish for gin, and _tick_ being synonymous with
credit, all the world over.
[28]
"Bleak winter wears a _coat_ of snow."
_Recit._--Mr. Gluckman.
"A _lily-white benjamin_--is it not so?"
_Air_--Lord Mops.
[29] These lads were tried at the Old Bailey, and being found guilty, they
were sentenced to seven years' transportation,--which sentence was
afterwards commuted to five years' imprisonment in the Millbank
Penitentiary.
[30] _Squad_--diminutive of _squadron_; applied generally to little
parties, of little sense--as, an awkward squad, a blackguard squad, a
squandering squad, &c.
[31] _Seedy_--a highly fashionable term, applied chiefly to dress. Thus
when a man's coat begins to manifest symptoms of worn-out-ishness, he is
said to look _seedy_--run to seed, and ready for _cutting_; and whenever
this is the case, all his acquaintance cut him as fast as they can, until
he is quite cut down and done with. Holywell-street is a famous mart for
these ripe garments.
[32] _Bub_ and _Grub_--drink and victual--
--"And we'll broach a tub,
Of humming bub,
With lots of hot and chilly grub,
To welcome you home with a rub a dub dub."
_Old Song._
[33] _Ramshackle_--corrupted from _ramshatter_, to shatter as with a
battering ram.
[34] A resplendent _gas-light_ was just then shedding its radiance over
the happy pair.