DOI Heft:
July 11, 1874
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16939#0026
18 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [July 11, 1874.
IN THE PARK.
“ Going to Switzerland this Year ? ”
“ Aw—No. I ’ye done my Climbing for this Season—been twice to the Upper Tier of the Albert Hall ! ”
The townspeople rushed out of the house, demanding' hack their
money. The check-and-moneytakers at the first onslaught had
been dispossessed by Gammon’s men outside, who had carried away
the tin-boxes. The oranges and apples, as they whistled overhead
and caught the swinging naphtha-lamps, streaked the darkness with
rays of light, and scattered drops of liquid flame on the surging
crowd below. Horror here, stupefaction there. Supers and come-
dians mixed up together. In the midst of all this could be seen
creatures made indifferent to the awful scene by personal preoccu-
ations. An elderly woman sat grasping her umbrella, whilst her
usband was protecting his new white hat. Two boys sat together,
exchanging and cracking nuts. Gammon, followed by his men,
gained the stage, set fire to the scene of Sevastopol, and then shouted
for buckets.
Panic magnifies: what was only a spark became a conflagration.
"Water battled with fire. The audience tore up the barricades,
hurled down the doors. On all sides was heard the cry, “Where
are you shoving to ? ” Terrified they broke away in all directions, the
Mayor repeating aloud as much of the Riot Act as he could recollect
while running at his fullest speed. The Marky watched this stam-
pede. Quietly, slowly, and composedly he walked towards the place
where the cash-boxes were deposited. Then he emptied them with
his own hands, saying to himself, “Decidedly there was a good
house to-night.”
Widdicomb Junior came to him hurriedly.
11 Your nephew’s aim is to get the Acrobatic Children.”
Ha! ”
“ They will still be an unrivalled attraction.”
‘ True. We must not lose them. Who is in the theatre of this
town?”
No one. It has been unoccupied for vears.”
“You have a key ? ”
“ Yes, I alone of the stage-door. The front is securely barred
and fastened.”
“ Good. Get the remainder of your company together. Take the
children up to the painting-room over the stage. Call a rehearsal
for ten to-morrow. Secure all the outlets, and post our men about
the building.”
He turned on his heel.
In the distance he saw Gammon. “ It is he ! ” cried the Marky.
Then he took a brickbat, and aimed at Gammon. He missed.
“ Clumsy,” said Widdicomb Junior, and disappeared.
The Marky aimed again.
This time the missile hit somebody. . _
The last naphtha lamp was suddenly extinguished. He did not
know whom he had hit.
IY.—Brickbats are not Arguments.
Gammon was standing alone. A brickbat flew past him. Before
he had time to retreat, another followed. This would have struck
him on the head, but that a tall stranger rushed forward, and.
interposed. He fell back on Gammon. The stranger had received
a blow right in his eye. He murmured, insensibly, “ My eye ! ”
“ This man has saved my life,” said Gammon. “ Who are you ?
The other, recovering, answered, “ Antoneroly.”
Gammon uttered a cry.
Then he fell on his knees by the wounded man.
‘ ‘ Antoneroly, this is the second time you have saved me. Once
when I was a boy, and now.”
Antoneroly winked at him. One eye was undamaged. This he
used for winking.
Gammon cried, “ My master ! ”
“ Thy father ! ” said Antoneroly.
Then he added, tenderly, “ Gammon ! ”
Book the Second.
I.—Cribbage and Nobs.
The three children were asleep in their cradles in the painting-
room over the stage. They awoke. The waking of children is like
the tuning of stringed instruments, only less harmonious.
Their names were Tommy, Polly, and Pickle-lilly.
They were still in their costumes for the Circus. It was to have
been the Wonderful Acrobatic Cherubino Entertainment.
Their hands and legs had been taught to fold up and appear as
wings.
IN THE PARK.
“ Going to Switzerland this Year ? ”
“ Aw—No. I ’ye done my Climbing for this Season—been twice to the Upper Tier of the Albert Hall ! ”
The townspeople rushed out of the house, demanding' hack their
money. The check-and-moneytakers at the first onslaught had
been dispossessed by Gammon’s men outside, who had carried away
the tin-boxes. The oranges and apples, as they whistled overhead
and caught the swinging naphtha-lamps, streaked the darkness with
rays of light, and scattered drops of liquid flame on the surging
crowd below. Horror here, stupefaction there. Supers and come-
dians mixed up together. In the midst of all this could be seen
creatures made indifferent to the awful scene by personal preoccu-
ations. An elderly woman sat grasping her umbrella, whilst her
usband was protecting his new white hat. Two boys sat together,
exchanging and cracking nuts. Gammon, followed by his men,
gained the stage, set fire to the scene of Sevastopol, and then shouted
for buckets.
Panic magnifies: what was only a spark became a conflagration.
"Water battled with fire. The audience tore up the barricades,
hurled down the doors. On all sides was heard the cry, “Where
are you shoving to ? ” Terrified they broke away in all directions, the
Mayor repeating aloud as much of the Riot Act as he could recollect
while running at his fullest speed. The Marky watched this stam-
pede. Quietly, slowly, and composedly he walked towards the place
where the cash-boxes were deposited. Then he emptied them with
his own hands, saying to himself, “Decidedly there was a good
house to-night.”
Widdicomb Junior came to him hurriedly.
11 Your nephew’s aim is to get the Acrobatic Children.”
Ha! ”
“ They will still be an unrivalled attraction.”
‘ True. We must not lose them. Who is in the theatre of this
town?”
No one. It has been unoccupied for vears.”
“You have a key ? ”
“ Yes, I alone of the stage-door. The front is securely barred
and fastened.”
“ Good. Get the remainder of your company together. Take the
children up to the painting-room over the stage. Call a rehearsal
for ten to-morrow. Secure all the outlets, and post our men about
the building.”
He turned on his heel.
In the distance he saw Gammon. “ It is he ! ” cried the Marky.
Then he took a brickbat, and aimed at Gammon. He missed.
“ Clumsy,” said Widdicomb Junior, and disappeared.
The Marky aimed again.
This time the missile hit somebody. . _
The last naphtha lamp was suddenly extinguished. He did not
know whom he had hit.
IY.—Brickbats are not Arguments.
Gammon was standing alone. A brickbat flew past him. Before
he had time to retreat, another followed. This would have struck
him on the head, but that a tall stranger rushed forward, and.
interposed. He fell back on Gammon. The stranger had received
a blow right in his eye. He murmured, insensibly, “ My eye ! ”
“ This man has saved my life,” said Gammon. “ Who are you ?
The other, recovering, answered, “ Antoneroly.”
Gammon uttered a cry.
Then he fell on his knees by the wounded man.
‘ ‘ Antoneroly, this is the second time you have saved me. Once
when I was a boy, and now.”
Antoneroly winked at him. One eye was undamaged. This he
used for winking.
Gammon cried, “ My master ! ”
“ Thy father ! ” said Antoneroly.
Then he added, tenderly, “ Gammon ! ”
Book the Second.
I.—Cribbage and Nobs.
The three children were asleep in their cradles in the painting-
room over the stage. They awoke. The waking of children is like
the tuning of stringed instruments, only less harmonious.
Their names were Tommy, Polly, and Pickle-lilly.
They were still in their costumes for the Circus. It was to have
been the Wonderful Acrobatic Cherubino Entertainment.
Their hands and legs had been taught to fold up and appear as
wings.