DOI issue:
October 19, 1889
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17688#0189
181
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [October 19, 1889.
THE LATEST STRIKE.
For just a Quarter of an Hour’s Romp between Bath and Bedtime.
HOW WE STRUCK AT OUR SCHOOL.
{By a Boy Burns.)
Monday.—Great indignation meeting in the Jimnasium. Harrangd the
chaps on the iniquitus sistim of Impots, and the tirrany of Iregular Virbs.
All the fellows inthusiastic—except that young sneak Footler. Organising
unanimously resolved on. Dobbs wanting to know how you organised. Told
him not to bother me, but do it. Must he firm with chaps like Dobbs.
Tuesday.—Matturing plans. Our numbers rappidly incresing. Swore in
two dayborders, in the box-room, over crossed pocket-knives and a scull
tobaco-poutch one of the fellows had. Drew
up Ultamatom with Pott Maj or. Our Demands
are : (1) No corpral punishment, except on the
hand. (There isn't any at our School, but
Morterbord might take it into his head to do
it at any time. so we vut it in.)
“ Maxima debetur pueris.'’
That was all the grevanses we could remember, but we reserved power to add
to the number, if nesesery.
Wednesday.—Read ultamatom to the chaps. All thought it cappatal,
except old Dumps, who said “we should never get it.” Told him he was a
funk. One of the dayborders brought us a flag he had painted on glased calaco,
with the motto, “Death to Tirants! No Parsing!” A half holiday, so we
could plot without atracting atention.
Thursday.—Posted inflamatry proklamation on blackbord where old Morter-
bord could see it. Thought we heard him coming, and tore it down. Felt we
were not ripe yet for open Revilution. At evening prep. Gassiter Minor—like
the young snipe he is !—called for “ Three Cheers for Libaty! ” and got kept in
(2) Reduced hours, no class"to last over
twenty minutes.
(3) No out of bounds ; all games henceforth
to be opshinal.
(4) Abbolition of Euklid, Iregular Yirbs,
and Evening Prep.
(5) Better qualaty of Grub.
(6) Dismissle of Giglamps and Spooner.
(The housemasters—both beasts.)
(7) Both sides to return to work as usuel
after tirmination of Strike, without
ill-felinsr on either Dart.
by Giglamps. How long will such outridges go on ? Dis-
content general. Settled in the dormitries to go out after
breakfast to-morrow.
. Friday.—We have done it, all except a few blacklegs,
like Footler. Told off party to watch Footler, and
picket him—not too hard, unless he is obstinit. Marched
in percesshun, with baners, round the town. Much
simpathy from the plice and poppulus. Mass meeting
outside tuckshop. Saw a fellow taking down all I said
in a book, and thought he ment sneaking, but he was
only reporting it for a London newspaper, which I don’t
so much mind. Slept pretty much where we could. One
of the dayborders asked me home with him, and I was
made pretty comfortable. His peple very respectful to
me. Told them that I would sooner die than give in now!
Saturday.—More marching round. Some of the cads
in the town asked to join us, and we let them, as they
are too big to fight. Told them how we were made to do
parsing and iregular virbs, and they were most indig-
nent. Go round to other schools, to pursuade the
fellows to come out. I believe they would have, too, if
they hadn’t seen the cads. Tell a chap they call “ Black
Joe” that we’d rather he and his friends didn’t come
round with us. He says they ’re going to see us
through with it. Told him if I let them stay, I should
expect strict dissipline. I hate the grin some cads
have. Back to Morterbord’s to bring out all the black-
legs ; deminstration in front of school-gates. Think
Morterbord might come out and meet me, as man to
man, in a parley—I hung out a white flag ! Believe
he’s skulking in the schoolroom. Our skirmishers have
siezed Footler as a hostidge. Tell Black Joe that, if
anyone is to kick Footler, I prefer to do it myself.
He says he ’ll kick me if he has any of my jaw. If only
he was a size smaller! Footler is blubbing—says he
believes both his shins are broken. These cads do hack
hard.This is too bad! Black Joe, and a fellow
he calls “Larrikin Bill,” and some more, are shying
stones at the windows ! This will probaly delay a piece-
able settlement with old Morterbord. Black Joe says
“we haven’t half pluck, and he and his mates will
break into the school for us, and give the head-master
a rare doing.” Can’t help seeing this must aliunate
poppular sympathy with our cause. And Mother
Morterbord and the kids too ! I tell them we mean to
strike like gentlemen, not cads, and we set our faces
against violence. They only say “they’ll smash our
faces in if we don’t take care,” and go on shying. All
the windows are smashed now—no more pocket-money
for us this half! Hold a Council of War with the
other fellows. We all agree that this sort of thing must
be stopped. Ask Black Joe and his mates, quietly, how
much they’ll take to go away. They have taken all
our watches, and knives, and pencil-cases, and every bit
of money we had, and then gone off grumbling! Draw
lots who shall go in and tell old Morterbord we are
willing to listen to any propositions he may have to
make. Glad old Twitters drew it, and not me !
Saturday Night.—Strike over. Agreed to refer justice
of our demands to Committee of Arbatration, composed
of fellows’ parents. The ringleaders to submit to
corporal punishment—not on the hand., which shows
how corect my fourbodings were. All quiet now—except
Twitters, who is snivelling. Morterbord took him
first, certinly, but I don’t believe he got it any hotter than
me, and I didn’t snivel—much. AIL the chaps in a bait
with me—say I let them in for this! Ungrateful sneaks !
Catch me sticking up for them another time, that’s all!
Prophesy and Profit.—Mr. George Grossmith seems
to have cut the Saveloy and gone in for a musical enter-
tainment round the country, which is most successful, as
long ago we predicted it would be. No one heard us
predict it, but we did. The entertainment must be an
inexpensive, jog-trot, quiet kind of travelling - circus
affair; a one-horse show, with a little “ G. G.” in it.
When “ Gee-Gee” makes “ a pony” a night as his profit
in the country, let him remember our prophet in London.
“ The Day will Come ” is Miss Braddon’s new novel.
From what we hear, its second title should be, The Book
will Go. Our ‘ ‘ Baron de Book-Worms ” must see to this.
“0 Rare ‘ Ben ’! ” — Maddison Morton’s at the
Haymarket. Matinee to-day.
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [October 19, 1889.
THE LATEST STRIKE.
For just a Quarter of an Hour’s Romp between Bath and Bedtime.
HOW WE STRUCK AT OUR SCHOOL.
{By a Boy Burns.)
Monday.—Great indignation meeting in the Jimnasium. Harrangd the
chaps on the iniquitus sistim of Impots, and the tirrany of Iregular Virbs.
All the fellows inthusiastic—except that young sneak Footler. Organising
unanimously resolved on. Dobbs wanting to know how you organised. Told
him not to bother me, but do it. Must he firm with chaps like Dobbs.
Tuesday.—Matturing plans. Our numbers rappidly incresing. Swore in
two dayborders, in the box-room, over crossed pocket-knives and a scull
tobaco-poutch one of the fellows had. Drew
up Ultamatom with Pott Maj or. Our Demands
are : (1) No corpral punishment, except on the
hand. (There isn't any at our School, but
Morterbord might take it into his head to do
it at any time. so we vut it in.)
“ Maxima debetur pueris.'’
That was all the grevanses we could remember, but we reserved power to add
to the number, if nesesery.
Wednesday.—Read ultamatom to the chaps. All thought it cappatal,
except old Dumps, who said “we should never get it.” Told him he was a
funk. One of the dayborders brought us a flag he had painted on glased calaco,
with the motto, “Death to Tirants! No Parsing!” A half holiday, so we
could plot without atracting atention.
Thursday.—Posted inflamatry proklamation on blackbord where old Morter-
bord could see it. Thought we heard him coming, and tore it down. Felt we
were not ripe yet for open Revilution. At evening prep. Gassiter Minor—like
the young snipe he is !—called for “ Three Cheers for Libaty! ” and got kept in
(2) Reduced hours, no class"to last over
twenty minutes.
(3) No out of bounds ; all games henceforth
to be opshinal.
(4) Abbolition of Euklid, Iregular Yirbs,
and Evening Prep.
(5) Better qualaty of Grub.
(6) Dismissle of Giglamps and Spooner.
(The housemasters—both beasts.)
(7) Both sides to return to work as usuel
after tirmination of Strike, without
ill-felinsr on either Dart.
by Giglamps. How long will such outridges go on ? Dis-
content general. Settled in the dormitries to go out after
breakfast to-morrow.
. Friday.—We have done it, all except a few blacklegs,
like Footler. Told off party to watch Footler, and
picket him—not too hard, unless he is obstinit. Marched
in percesshun, with baners, round the town. Much
simpathy from the plice and poppulus. Mass meeting
outside tuckshop. Saw a fellow taking down all I said
in a book, and thought he ment sneaking, but he was
only reporting it for a London newspaper, which I don’t
so much mind. Slept pretty much where we could. One
of the dayborders asked me home with him, and I was
made pretty comfortable. His peple very respectful to
me. Told them that I would sooner die than give in now!
Saturday.—More marching round. Some of the cads
in the town asked to join us, and we let them, as they
are too big to fight. Told them how we were made to do
parsing and iregular virbs, and they were most indig-
nent. Go round to other schools, to pursuade the
fellows to come out. I believe they would have, too, if
they hadn’t seen the cads. Tell a chap they call “ Black
Joe” that we’d rather he and his friends didn’t come
round with us. He says they ’re going to see us
through with it. Told him if I let them stay, I should
expect strict dissipline. I hate the grin some cads
have. Back to Morterbord’s to bring out all the black-
legs ; deminstration in front of school-gates. Think
Morterbord might come out and meet me, as man to
man, in a parley—I hung out a white flag ! Believe
he’s skulking in the schoolroom. Our skirmishers have
siezed Footler as a hostidge. Tell Black Joe that, if
anyone is to kick Footler, I prefer to do it myself.
He says he ’ll kick me if he has any of my jaw. If only
he was a size smaller! Footler is blubbing—says he
believes both his shins are broken. These cads do hack
hard.This is too bad! Black Joe, and a fellow
he calls “Larrikin Bill,” and some more, are shying
stones at the windows ! This will probaly delay a piece-
able settlement with old Morterbord. Black Joe says
“we haven’t half pluck, and he and his mates will
break into the school for us, and give the head-master
a rare doing.” Can’t help seeing this must aliunate
poppular sympathy with our cause. And Mother
Morterbord and the kids too ! I tell them we mean to
strike like gentlemen, not cads, and we set our faces
against violence. They only say “they’ll smash our
faces in if we don’t take care,” and go on shying. All
the windows are smashed now—no more pocket-money
for us this half! Hold a Council of War with the
other fellows. We all agree that this sort of thing must
be stopped. Ask Black Joe and his mates, quietly, how
much they’ll take to go away. They have taken all
our watches, and knives, and pencil-cases, and every bit
of money we had, and then gone off grumbling! Draw
lots who shall go in and tell old Morterbord we are
willing to listen to any propositions he may have to
make. Glad old Twitters drew it, and not me !
Saturday Night.—Strike over. Agreed to refer justice
of our demands to Committee of Arbatration, composed
of fellows’ parents. The ringleaders to submit to
corporal punishment—not on the hand., which shows
how corect my fourbodings were. All quiet now—except
Twitters, who is snivelling. Morterbord took him
first, certinly, but I don’t believe he got it any hotter than
me, and I didn’t snivel—much. AIL the chaps in a bait
with me—say I let them in for this! Ungrateful sneaks !
Catch me sticking up for them another time, that’s all!
Prophesy and Profit.—Mr. George Grossmith seems
to have cut the Saveloy and gone in for a musical enter-
tainment round the country, which is most successful, as
long ago we predicted it would be. No one heard us
predict it, but we did. The entertainment must be an
inexpensive, jog-trot, quiet kind of travelling - circus
affair; a one-horse show, with a little “ G. G.” in it.
When “ Gee-Gee” makes “ a pony” a night as his profit
in the country, let him remember our prophet in London.
“ The Day will Come ” is Miss Braddon’s new novel.
From what we hear, its second title should be, The Book
will Go. Our ‘ ‘ Baron de Book-Worms ” must see to this.
“0 Rare ‘ Ben ’! ” — Maddison Morton’s at the
Haymarket. Matinee to-day.