(The inverse construction—adverb instead of adjective—may be heard now and then: the child looked very nicely, etc.)
Adjectives turned into a Plural Noun to express a State of Mind.
I used to get the fair dismals watching it. (T. T. T. 129. 21.)
A Waiter.
It gave me the blues for a day or two—that bit of news. (T. T. T. 146. 20.)
The same.
As stands very often for Relative Pronouns without a preceding such.
It’s the world as I’m complaining of. (T. T. T. 157. 12.)
The sort as likes it and the sort as don’t. (T. T. T. 205. 5.)