“Silence, silence! vy don't you all be more quieter when I am going to begin?”
“Order, order, chair, chair!” now resounded from every one.
“Vell, you know its no use at all for to make me take this here chair, because vy—I an't got no woice.”
“I knows better nor that,” said Bill Muggins, “for, by ——ven you fell overboard the other day you roared like a rum un, and ven I pulled you out you squeaked like a pig, so that are proves vhat you have got two woices, and that's one more than you ought to have. Lord, Lord, if you had but seen him and I get drunk a'ter it, you would ha' laughed—Dick bolted blue ruin till his eyes sparkled just for all the vorld like a vooden spoon against a soot bag.”
A general laugh succeeded this sally, which was accompanied by the speaker with a violent blow upon the table, which threatened confusion to the candles, glasses, and porter-pots, with which it was loaded.
“Veil,” continued the chairman, “you know its all my eye, I an't got no sing in me, so if you're a mind to be friendly, vill you heave out.”
“Vy, you know Dick, for the matter o' that are, I never refuses you nothing; nor, vhat's more, I never vont, so here goes.
“Vhat a hearty blade am I, Care ca'nt never touch my heart, Every trouble I defy, Vhile I views the foaming quawt. A very good song, and very well sung; Jolly kimpanions, every one, Clap your hats on, keep your heads vann, A little more liquor will do us no harm. Blankets and pins, blankets and pins, When a man's married his sorrow begins.”
The six last lines were repeated as a chorus, till every one appeared to be exhausted, and was succeeded by thunders of approbation, and reiterated cries of “Well done, Bill—go it, Bill—Bill Muggins for ever!” and the still unabated snoring of their companion in the corner.
“Bill Muggins a'nt nothing but a good'un, Gemmen,"said the President; “here's his health. Landlord, bring him a bolus of blue ruin. I say, Bill, vhat shall ve say a'ter that are good song?”