“He must have been a very ingenious young man, that, Sam,” said Mr. Pickwick, with a slight shudder.
“Just was, sir,” replied Mr. Weller, continuing his occupation of emptying the basket, “and the pies was beautiful.”
The “gravy” given with the meat-pies is poured out of an oil-can and consists of a little salt and water browned. A hole is made with the little finger in the top of the pie and the “gravy” poured in until the crust rises sufficiently to satisfy the young critical gourmand’s taste.
“The London piemen,” says Mr. Henry Mayhew, “May be numbered at about forty in winter, and twice that number in summer.” Calculating that there are only fifty plying their trade the year through, and their average earnings at 8s. a week, we find a street expenditure exceeding £1,040, and a street consumption of pies amounting to nearly three quarters of a million yearly.
Young Lambs to Sell.
| Young lambs to sell! young lambs to sell. If I’d as much money as I could tell, I’d not come here with young lambs to sell! Dolly and Molly, Richard and Nell, Buy my young lambs, and I’ll use you well! |
The engraving represents an old “London Crier,” one William Liston, from a drawing for which he purposely stood in 1826.
This “public character” was born in the City of Glasgow. He became a soldier in the waggon-train commanded by Colonel Hamilton, and served under the Duke of York in Holland, where, on the 6th of October, 1799, he lost his right arm and left leg, and his place in the army. His misfortunes thrust distinction upon him. From having been a private in the ranks, where he would have remained undistinguished, he became one of the popular street-characters of his day.