was got up express for Jenny Lind the night she came out at the Italian
Opera. It was very much applauded was that wig, ma'am, through the
evening. It had a great reception. The audience broke out, the moment
they see it.'

"'Are you in Mr. Sweedlepipes's line, sir?' I says.

"'Which is that, ma'am?' he says--the softest and genteelest vice I ever
heerd, I do declare, Mrs. Harris!

"'Hair-dressing,' I says.

"'Yes, ma'am,' he replies, 'I have that honour. Do you see this, ma'am?'
he says, holding up his right hand.

"'I never see such a trembling,' I says to him. And I never did!

"'All along of Her Majesty's Costume Ball, ma'am,' he says. 'The
excitement did it. Two hundred and fifty-seven ladies of the first rank
and fashion had their heads got up on that occasion by this hand, and my
t'other one. I was at it eight-and-forty hours on my feet, ma'am,
without rest. It was a Powder ball, ma'am. We have a Powder piece at
Liverpool. Have I not the pleasure,' he says, looking at me curious,
'of addressing Mrs. Gamp?'

"'Gamp I am, sir,' I replies. 'Both by name and natur.'

"'Would you like to see your beeograffer's moustache and wiskers,
ma'am?' he says. 'I've got 'em in this box.'

"'Drat my beeograffer, sir,' I says, 'he has given me no region to wish
to know anythink about him.'

"'Oh, Missus Gamp, I ask your parden'--I never see such a polite man,
Mrs. Harris! 'P'raps,' he says, 'if you're not of the party, you don't
know who it was that assisted you into this carriage!'

"'No, Sir,' I says, 'I don't, indeed.'

"'Why, ma'am,' he says, a wisperin', 'that was George, ma'am.'

"'What George, sir? I don't know no George,' says I.

"'The great George, ma'am,' says he. 'The Crookshanks.'

"If you'll believe me, Mrs. Harris, I turns my head, and see the wery
man a making picturs of me on his thumb nail, at the winder! while
another of 'em--a tall, slim, melancolly gent, with dark hair and a bage
vice--looks over his shoulder, with his head o' one side as if he
understood the subject, and cooly says, '_I_'ve draw'd her several
times--in Punch,' he says too! The owdacious wretch!

"'Which I never touches, Mr. Wilson,' I remarks out loud--I couldn't
have helped it, Mrs. Harris, if you had took my life for it!--'which I
never touches, Mr. Wilson, on account of the lemon!'

"'Hush!' says Mr. Wilson. 'There he is!'

"I only see a fat gentleman with curly black hair and a merry face, a
standing on the platfor