FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32  
>>  
ents of a savage bride, he still sighed for home, and plaintively exclaimed:-- "Here I am, married to the only daughter of the great chief, who would have roasted me with the rest of our crew, had I not given a joyful consent. Oh! I wonder if I ever shall get home, and be married to Miss Wiggins!!!" The lovely wide-mouthed Ootanga patted him fondly on the chin, and dreamed in her ignorance that he was paying her a compliment in his native language. DOBBS'S "DUCK." A LEGEND OF HORSELYDOWN. It may be accepted as an indubitable truth, that when the tenderest epithets are bandied between a married couple, that the domestic affairs do not go particularly straight. Dobbs and his rib were perhaps the most divided pair that ever were yoked by Hymen. D. was a good-humored fellow, a jovial blade, full of high spirits--while his wife was one of the most cross-grained and cantankerous bodies that ever man was blessed with--and yet, to hear the sweet diminutives which they both employed in their dialogues, the world would have concluded that they were upon the best terms conceivable. "My love," quoth Mrs. D., "I really now should like to take a boat and row down the river as far as Battersea; the weather is so very fine, and you know, my dear love, how fond I am of the water." D. could have added (and indeed it was upon the very tip of his tongue)--"mixed with spirits"--but he wisely restrained the impertinent allusion. "Well, my duck," said he, "you have only to name the day, you know, I am always ready to please,"--and then, as was his habit, concluded his gracious speech by singing-- "'Tis woman vot seduces all mankind-- Their mother's teach them the wheedling art." "Hold your nonsense, do," replied Mrs. D____, scarcely able to restrain her snappish humour, but, fearful of losing the jaunt, politically added, "Suppose, love, we go to-day--no time like the present, dear." "Thine am I--thine am I," sang the indulgent husband. And Mrs. D____ hereupon ordered the boy to carry down to the stairs a cargo of brandy, porter, and sandwiches, for the intended voyage, and taking her dear love in the humour, presently appeared duly decked out for the trip. Two watermen and a wherry were soon obtained, and Dobbs, lighting his cigar, alternately smoked and sang, while his duck employed herself most agreeably upon the sandwiches. The day was bright and sunny, and exceedingly hot; and they had scarc
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32  
>>  



Top keywords:
married
 

humour

 

sandwiches

 

concluded

 

spirits

 
employed
 
seduces
 

singing

 

gracious

 
speech

mankind

 

replied

 
nonsense
 

wheedling

 

mother

 
plaintively
 

daughter

 
exclaimed
 

tongue

 
scarcely

sighed

 

wisely

 

restrained

 
impertinent
 
allusion
 

restrain

 

watermen

 
wherry
 
decked
 

voyage


intended

 
taking
 

presently

 

appeared

 
obtained
 

bright

 

exceedingly

 

agreeably

 

lighting

 
alternately

smoked

 
porter
 

Suppose

 

present

 

politically

 

snappish

 

fearful

 

losing

 

stairs

 
brandy