Punch (94.1888)

PUNCH, OS THE LONDON CHAKIVASI.

241

OUR JAPANNERIES. No. 1.

■After the style tf the Story of Seiko in the Japanese Collection in the British Museum ; designed and happily dispatched by the celebrated Japanese
....... Artist, Lika Joko [specially engaged by Mr. Punch), who is now on a visit to this country.

TABLEAU I. Exiko "Woi-gu-i.i at a banquet attacks the Giant Sa-Bu*
m the latter's absence. TABLEAU II.—Giant Sa-Rum denounces

TAT3TTrltt1"1'1 *n ^e Up-per-ous, when Wol-»e-li is away.

lABLEAU III.—Ei:ko Wol-se-li confronts Giant Sa-uum in the presence
of The Kom-maxdawn-Chief, Lords, and Spiritual Peeris.

TABLEAU IV.—Kom-mandarin-Chiip intervenes. The ceremony of
Hands-Sha-Kin is performed all round. Kom - mandabin - Chief
congratulates ereryone on " The agreeable manner in which this
incident has ended," and he, Giant Sa-kum," and Reiko^Wol-se-li
dine together happily.

DIAET OF A NOBODY*

Mt dear wife Cabbie and I have just been a week in our new
house, " The Laurels," Brickfield Terrace, Holloway—a nice six-
roomed residence, not counting basement with a front breakfast-
parlour. We have a little front garden, and there is a flight of ten
steps up to the front door; which, by the bye, we keep locked with
the chain up. Cttstmings, Gowing, and our other intimate friends
always come to the little side-entrance, which saves the servant the
trouble of going up to the front door, thereby taking her from her
work. We have a nice little back garden which runs down to the
railway. We were rather afraid of the noise of the trains at first,
but the landlord said we should not notice them after a bit, and took
£2 off the rent. He was certainly right, and beyond the cracking of
the garden wall at the bottom, we have suffered no inconvenience.

Af ter my work in the City, I like to be at home. What's the
good of a home, if you are never in it. "Home, Sweet Home"—
that's my motto. I am always in of an evening. Our old friend
Go wing may ask us to drop in sans ceremonie; so may Cum-
min gs, who lives opposite. My dear wife Caboline and I are
pleased to see them if they like to drop in on us. But Cabbie and I
can manage to pass our evenings together without friends. There is
always something to be done. A tin-tack here, a Venetian blind to
put straight, a fan to nail up, or part of a carpet to nail down—all of
which I can do with my pipe in my mouth ; while Cabbie is not above
putting a button on a shirt, mending a pillow-case, or practising
the "Maiden's Prayer" on our new Cottage Piano (on the three
years' system), manufactured by W. Biixson (in small letters), from
Coelaed and Coliabd (in very large letters). Now for my diary :—

April 3.—Tradesmen oailed for custom, and I promised Fabmeb-
son, the Ironmonger, to give him a turn if I wanted any nails, or
tools. By the bye, that reminds me there is no key to our bedroom
door. Dear friend Gowing dropped in, but wouldn't stay, saying
there was an infernal smell of paint.

April 4.—Tradesmen still calling, Cabbie being out, I arranged
to deal with Bibbs, who seemed a civil Butcher with a nice clean
Bhop. Ordered a shoulder of mutton for to-morrow to give him a

* As everybody -who is anybody is publishing Reminiscences, Diaries,
Notes, Autobiographies, and Recollections, we are sincerely grateful to "A
Nobody " for permitting us to add to the historic collection.—En.

trial. Cabbie arranged with Dobset, the Butterman, and ordered
a pound of fresh butter, and a pound and a half of salt ditto, for
kitchen, and a shilling's worth of eggs. In the evening, Cummtngs
unexpectedly dropped in to show me a meerschaum pipe he had won
in a raffle in the City, and told me to handle it carefully, as it would
spoil the colouring if the hand was moist. He said he wouldn't stay,
as he didn't care much for the smell of the paint, and fell over the
scraper as he went out. Must get the scraper removed, or else I
shall get into a scrape. I don't of ten make jokes.

April 5.—Two legs of mutton arrived, Cabbie having arranged
with another butcher without consulting me. Cowing called, and
fell over scraper coming in. Must get that scraper removed.

April 6.—Eggs for breakfast simply shocking ; sent them back to
Doksei with my compliments, and he needn't call any more for
orders. Couldn't find umbrella, and though it was pouring with
rain, had to go without it. Sabah said Mr. Cowing must have took
it by mistake last night, as there was a stick m the 'All that didn't
belong to nobody. In the evening, hearing someone talking in a
loud voice to the servant in the downstairs Hall, went out to see who
it was, and was surprised to find it was Dobset, the butterman, who
was both drunk and offensive. Dobset, on seeing me, said, "He
would be hanged if he would ever serve City Clerks any more, the
game wasn't worth the candle. I restrained my feelings, and
quietly remarked " that I thought it was possible for a City Clerk to
be a Gentleman." He replied, He was very glad to hear it, and
wanted to know whether I had ever come across one, for he hadn't."
He left the house, slamming the door after him, which extinguished
the fan-light, and I heard him fall over the scraper, which made me
feel glad I hadn't removed it. When he had gone, 1 thought of a
splendid answer I ought to have given him. However, I will keep
it for another occasion.

April 7.-Being Saturday, I looked forward to getting home early,
and putting a few things straight; but two of our principals at the
office were absent through illness, and I did not get home till seven.
Found Dobset waiting. He had been three times during the day to
apologise for his conduct last night. He said he was unable to take
his Bank Holiday last. Monday, and took it last night instead. He
begged me to accept his apology, and a pound of fresh butter. He
seems, after all, a decent sort of fellow, so I gave him an order for
some fresh eggs.

VOI. ZCTV.

T