Punch: Punch (52.1867)

134

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[March 30, 1867.

PUNCH’S PHYSIOLOGY OF COURTSHIP—No. 2.

Mr. Lvscelles Courtenay re Tracy Belassis ©onynghame. M.P., Younger Son of an Ancient Family,

Miss Barbara Blunt, of Liverpool, Bight-and-Twenty, with £100,000.

Mr. L et cetera C. is Stating, with what he considers much passionate Warmth, that, their Political Opinions being

THE SAME, A MATRIMONIAL ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO WOULD MOST PROBABLY PROVE CONDUCIVE TO THEIR MUTUAL WELFARE.
NOW, THERE IS NO MISTAKE ABOUT THE £100,000.

Nor CAN ANY REASONABLE DOUBT BE ENTERTAINED ABOUT Mr. C.’s ANCIENT BlRTH AND ARISTOCRATIC CONNECTIONS.
Moreover, judging from the Physiognomy of each, we do not think either will be over-exacting on the score of
Conjugal Tenderness. And, speaking phrenologically, we are of opinion that in this particular instance, Mr. L. C.
will find Two Heads considerably more than Twice as Good as One.

We therefore recommend Miss B. B. to reply, that “If the honourable Member will give Notice of his Question,
it shall be duly Answered.”

A STRIKE OF SMOCK FROCKS

(Mr. Hawcock sings.)

’Tis strikun for wages as now’s all the rage
In this here progressive enlightenment age;

All labour’s a risun, and prices is too :

And 1 doan’l know what we be gonn to do.

The weavers was always a strikun, and then
The miners, they struck, and the ironworks men.

The builders is often on strike for a rise ;

And even the tailors strikes sometimes, likewise.

Of strikes on the railways intended you hears,

The cry is Strike Stokers, and Strike Engineers !
Which must, sitch small profits the Companies shares,
Make them strike as well by an increase of fares.

The shipwrights have struck for additional pay,

Can’t live on six shilluns and sixpunce a day ;

Whilst, here there is fellers, that bain’t fur to seek,
Contrives for to do’t on nine shilluns a week.

When I, as a youth, did a clodhuppun roam,

I oft heer’d the bumpkins zing “ Britons Strike Home’
But there was no strikun in them days as now:

They only struck bosses that foller’d the plough.

Now they’ve took at last too to strikun, I hear ;

'The lab’rers at Gawcott in Buckinghamshire.

Ten shilluns a-week’s all they aimed heretofore,

But now they liave struck to get two shilluu more.

Trades Unions for workmen arranges a strike.

Farm lab’rers have now begun doun the like.

They’ve got their Committee and Treasurer too,
Likewise Secretary to carry ’em droo.

That systum of strikun, by all I can find,

Will soon be tried here if we farmers doan’t mind ;
And if the men strikes that’s employed on ttie land,

1 s’pose their employers must grant their demand.

Consider’n to how much provisions do come,

Ten shilluns a week, I must own,’s a small sum.

And if there’s a strike as is anyways fair,

’Tis sitch as the strike up nigh Buckingham t here.

But if we complies, for to a;ie ’um content,

We also med strike for reduction of rent,

But can’t strike and pay at the same time, wuss luck !
While others can strike, we can only be struck.

Of all this here strikun the end I doan’t zee,

Nor who, art.er all, is the suff’rers to be.

But this I’ll acknowledge, there’s nobody can
Have moor cause to strike nor a farm lab’run man.