A few trees of this sort wanted in the streets of Glasgow.
Now, although not under the shade of a holy tree, I speak the truth when I most emphatically declare that my tea at 1s. 6d. per lb. is better than that sold as the “best tea the world produces, 1s. 7d. per lb.”
We have in the foregoing an instance of a disciple of the good George Washington airing his Biblical knowledge, and in the same way we find a Birmingham bootmaker parading his acquaintance with the divine Shakespeare thus wise—
“I pray you, sir, walk in.”—Merry Wives of Windsor, ii. 5.
“And I will boot thee.”—Ant. and Cleo., i. 1.
“We lay our service freely at your feet.”—Hamlet, ii. 2.
Why does not some cobbler making use of the bard’s writings thus—“All that I live by is with the awl. I meddle with no tradesman’s matters nor women’s matters but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger I recover them.” [Trade journals please copy.]
These shoemakers would appear to be quite a literary lot, for in a certain east coast town of Scotland an enterprising member of the craft enlisted the tuneful muses to extol his trade—or, mayhap, it was some relative of the poet “Slum” who rolled his eye in a fine frenzy, and produced these exquisite lines—
Gae bring my auld topcoat, guidwife,
Gae bring it unco fast,
For I maun gang to Marshall’s shop
Afore the nicht be past;
My feet are damp, my boots are dune,
An’ sae I canna rest
Till I’m awa’ to Marshall’s shop,
For Marshall’s boots are best.
The English papers, like their American contemporaries, are rich in amusing advertisements of the “wants” class. Here is one that appeared in a newspaper published in a university town, which probably accounted for the “scholarly” tone of the notice—
Missing.—A black spaniel dog named “Blen,” whose owner’s address is—— It is asserted by some that Honesty is the Best Policy, and that Virtue is its own Reward. If the present possessor of the dog supports this view, his course is clear. In any case, no greater reward will be offered.
