Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
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— 248 —<br />
and reflect<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> events of <strong>the</strong> morn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, as we sat gasp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> carriage, <strong>the</strong>re passed vividly before my m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d <strong>the</strong><br />
panorama of my Uncle Podger, as <strong>on</strong> two hundred and fifty<br />
days <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> year he would start from Eal<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g Comm<strong>on</strong> by <strong>the</strong><br />
n<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e-thirteen tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> to Moorgate Street.<br />
From my Uncle Podger’s house to <strong>the</strong> railway stati<strong>on</strong> was<br />
eight m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>utes’ walk. What my uncle always said was:<br />
“Allow yourself a quarter of an hour, and take it easily.”<br />
What he always did was to start five m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>utes before <strong>the</strong> time<br />
and run. I do not know why, but this was <strong>the</strong> custom of <strong>the</strong><br />
suburb. Many stout City gentlemen lived at Eal<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> those<br />
days — I believe some live <strong>the</strong>re still — and caught early tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s<br />
to Town. They all started late; <strong>the</strong>y all carried a black bag and<br />
a newspaper <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e hand, and an umbrella <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r; and<br />
for <strong>the</strong> last quarter of a mile to <strong>the</strong> stati<strong>on</strong>, wet or f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
all ran.<br />
Folks with noth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g else to do, nursemaids chiefly and errand<br />
boys, with now and <strong>the</strong>n a perambulat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g costerm<strong>on</strong>ger added,<br />
would ga<strong>the</strong>r <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> comm<strong>on</strong> of a f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e morn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to watch<br />
<strong>the</strong>m pass, and cheer <strong>the</strong> most deserv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. It was not a showy<br />
spectacle. They did not run well, <strong>the</strong>y did not even run fast;<br />
but <strong>the</strong>y were earnest, and <strong>the</strong>y did <strong>the</strong>ir best. The exhibiti<strong>on</strong><br />
appealed less to <strong>on</strong>e’s sense of art than to <strong>on</strong>e’s natural admirati<strong>on</strong><br />
for c<strong>on</strong>scientious effort.<br />
Occasi<strong>on</strong>ally a little harmless bett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g would take place<br />
am<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> crowd.<br />
“Two to <strong>on</strong>e ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> old gent <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> white weskit!”<br />
“Ten to <strong>on</strong>e <strong>on</strong> old Blowpipes, bar he d<strong>on</strong>’t roll over hisself<br />
’fore ’e gets <strong>the</strong>re!”<br />
“Heven m<strong>on</strong>ey <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Purple Hemperor!” — a nickname<br />
bestowed by a youth of entomological tastes up<strong>on</strong> a certa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
retired military neighbour of my uncle’s, — a gentleman of<br />
impos<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g appearance when stati<strong>on</strong>ary, but apt to colour highly<br />
under exercise.<br />
My uncle and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs would write to <strong>the</strong> Eal<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g Press<br />
compla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g bitterly c<strong>on</strong>cern<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong> sup<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>eness of <strong>the</strong> local