The Project Gutenberg EBook of Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 101,
August 22, 1891, by Various

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 101, August 22, 1891

Author: Various

Release Date: September 20, 2004 [EBook #13502]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PUNCH ***

Produced by Malcolm Farmer, William Flis, and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team

PUNCH,

OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

VOL. 101.

August 22, 1891.

THE TRAVELLING COMPANIONS.

NO. III.

SCENE--_On the Coach from Braine l'Alleud to Waterloo. The
vehicle has a Belgian driver, but the conductor is a true-born
Briton. Mr. CYRUS K. TROTTER and his daughter are behind
with PODBURY. CULCHARD, who is not as yet sufficiently on
speaking terms with his friend to ask for an introduction, is
on the box-seat in front._

_Mr. Trotter_. How are you getting along, MAUD? Your seat pretty
comfortable?

_Miss Trotter_. Well, I guess it would be about as luxurious if it
hadn't got a chunk of wood nailed down the middle--it's not going to
have anyone confusing it with a bed of roses _just_ yet. (_To PODB._)
Your friend mad about anything? He don't seem to open his head more'n
he's obliged to. I presume he don't approve of your taking up with me
and Father--he keeps away from us considerable, I notice.

_Podb._ (_awkwardly_). Oh--er--I wouldn't say that, but he's a queer
kind of chap rather, takes prejudices into his head and all that. I
wouldn't trouble about him if I were you--not worth it, y' know.

_Miss T._ Thanks--but it isn't going to shorten my existence any.

[_CULCH. overhears all this, with feelings that may be
imagined._

_Belgian Driver_ (_to his horses_). Pullep! Allez vite! Bom-bom-bom!
Alright!

_Conductor_ (_to CULCHARD_). 'E's very proud of 'is English, _'e_ is.
'Ere, JEWLS, ole feller, show the gen'lm'n 'ow yer can do a swear.
(_Belgian Driver utters a string of English imprecations with the
utmost fluency and good-nature._) 'Ark at 'im now! Bust my frogs!
(_Admiringly, and not without a sense of the appropriateness of the
phrase._) But he's a caution, Sir