The Project Gutenberg EBook of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 98,
March 29, 1890, by Various

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Title: Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 98, March 29, 1890

Author: Various

Editor: Francis Cowley Burnand

Release Date: December 22, 2009 [EBook #30739]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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PUNCH,

OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

VOLUME 98.

MARCH 29, 1890.

* * * * *

MR. PUNCH'S MORAL MUSIC-HALL DRAMAS.

No. IX.--UNDER THE HARROW.

_A Conventional Comedy-Melodrama, in two Acts._

CHARACTERS.

SIR POSHBURY PUDDOCK (_a haughty and high-minded Baronet_).

VERBENA PUDDOCK (_his Daughter_).

LORD BLESHUGH (_her Lover_).

SPIKER (_a needy and unscrupulous Adventurer_).

BLETHERS (_an ancient and attached Domestic_).

ACT I.--SCENE--_The Morning Room, at Natterjack Hall, Toadley-le-Hole;
large window open at back, with heavy practicable sash._

[Illustration]

_Enter_ BLETHERS.

_Blethers._ Sir POSHBURY'S birthday to-day--his birthday!--and the
gentry giving of him presents. Oh, Lor! if they only knew what _I_ could
tell 'em!... Ah, and _must_ tell, too, before long--but not yet--not
yet! [_Exit._

_Enter_ Lord BLESHUGH _and_ VERBENA.

_Verb._ Yes, Papa is forty to-day; (_innocently_) fancy living to _that_
age! The tenants have presented him with a handsome jar of mixed
pickles, with an appropriate inscription. Papa is loved and respected by
every one. And I--well, I have made him a little housewife, containing
needles and thread.... See! [_Shows it._

_Lord Blesh. (tenderly)._ I say, I--I wish you would make _me_ a little
housewife!

[_Comedy love-dialogue omitted owing to want of space._

_Verb._ Oh, do look!--there's Papa crossing the lawn with, oh, such a
horrid man following him!

_Lord B._ Regular bounder. Shocking bad hat!

_Verb._ Not so bad as his boots, and _they_ are not so bad as his face!
Why doesn't Papa order him to go away? Oh, he is actually inviting him
in!