The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-08-19
Special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright 1881

OcOwdS-H1StOr1c Memories.
Special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright 1881
LONDON, August 5, 1893.
Ny first visit to Epping Forest, proba-
bly, the greatest holiday resort in the
world, was made in a costermonger' 5
cart in which l held proprietary interest.
l had been for some weeks plying the
subtle arts of the coster with my good
coster friends, Slumpsy Jem and his wife
Becky, and, 1 am proud to say, with ex-
ceilent financial success. We had fought
our way from cOster poverty and igno-
miny to coster affiuence and aristocracy
by a commercially wise distribution OF
vegetables, fish, flesh and fowl, and were
now in way to enjoy the fruits of So
briefly, diligence and thrift in we'll
earned day of recreation and rest. with
out the grim outlook beyond of remorse
trampling with its steely strides on the
heels of ill-consdered Joy.
Nothing could have been completer or
more tidy than our preparations for the
peasant event, at our habitation in Bell
Lane. Jem washed, oiled and polished
our cart, rubbed the rusty coronets OF our
secondhand harness, and groomed our
spirited donkey, Bolivar" until, as Jeln
justly remarked, "Tll make their heves
ache to hobserve this ere turnout, bli me,
So 1t Will. a bloomin' wicount couldn't
match this 60, no fear'' Becky had her
hands and heart full in arranging her
own get up" whose observable compo-
nent parts comprised high heeled shoes.
secondhand velvet gown which orig
lnaIIy never graced less than the form OF
a countess or singer in the 'alls" and
a massed forest of huge waving ostrich
plumes above her richly oiled and clouted
bangs OF side and front hair while nv
own Immediate assignment of duty was
to NIL the hampers against that delicious
hunger which comes to all city folk
from day of pleasure in the woods and
fields.
had what Jem called "a bloomin' carty
bIanchy," and l used it. Two of our
largest coster baskets were our hampers.
In these L had slowed a meal which
Becky Insisted was ''fit for her majesty.
Nictoriey, at Hascott." There We're
juicy slices of cold roast beef and a Joint
OF mutton l had found at snug public
house in the Strand; quarts OF shrlInps as
sweet and pink as new baby's finger
tips; dozen of sandwiches hiding lovely
slices OF tongue; tender mackerel | had
myself grllIed to crisp as brown as Q
trost-touched maple leaf; Roquefort
cheese wien" as Jem truly said, ''made
Cheddar turn green with envy" shall
lows OF hentlsh straw berries each as
large as walnut and sweet as nectar
real powdered sugar, a pot of clotteC
cream as yellow as gold, and three beau
tlful tin spoons and saucers for theil
service. There were other toothsome lit.
bits which would have done honor to the
real quality, along with cold tea by thu
jug full, and a few dark-looking. chunky
"a fFik IN r., I,,, >.
Tor Becky and cunning provision fol
himself, for on this point he had an.
preached me with confidence, genuine
feeling and wise insight into the socia
requirement. OF London East End costel
girl.
Watts the use, he said," with Amos
tnge OF bitterness in his sturdy plea
Watts the use leavin' out the wet? a
real London lady's no more good at {
Outin', 'thout wettin' Ter UP bit. than .
COW 'thout runnin' water. Wv. N, al
them yer rich, dry whites ID crack Ii
Becky's constitushun inter kindiers
afore night, 'thout sup o. wet. At'Amp
stead or Hopping, give a CONAN VIA
she's used ter, an plenty hof it, m nc
fear, she'll make folks 'arppy Were she
Dides'
Jem was sight in his new ''clobber. f.,
cleaning rows OF buttons and stamina
klngsman." Becky was no less sighI
IN her grand gown and feathers. Bolivar
was even more interesting sight in his
sleek coat and wonderful decoration. !
portion OF which comprised feathers wav.
ing from his trembling ears, a set of false
Whlskers depending from his SHAGGY
chm, with bright ribbons crossed and re.
crossed about his nimble legs; and SDrat
tiny coster lad without recorded ances.
try, who often accompanied us on ON
DAILY hawking adventures and silent in
our cart at night, who was this dav 10 hf
our "coachy and vally'' combined. claC
IN Jem'S everyday jacket, waistcoat and
klngsmau" was a sight Of atom-likt
habllltated matter one seldom, in a whole
lifetime, beholds.
Indeed we were altogether such a sigb,
that, as we finally sailed forth. the dan.
zens OF Bell Lane, Shoreditch. were So
pleased with our appearance and so en-
thuslasuc over our various gracious re
turns of their hearty encomiums. wbicI
included occasional showers of half-nen
mes among the Bell Lane ragamuffir
youths, that this admiration for ON
spirit in so gayly upholding the paIlantrI
OF the thoroughtare was at length av'
pressed IN enthusiastic cheers. Tbas,
encouraged Sprat to larrup Bolivar tar
beyond his wont or deserts. The donka,
thereupon took most of his whiskers am
All OF MS olt hrmIy between his teeth
Then, after lifting Sprat out of his tenn
pOrary box with his nimble heels h.
straightway broke into fierce canter
never checking his furious pace until h,
ran headioremost into the old Stoke Nav
lngton Church wall. After alighting her
over each others heads, we took time +,
reassure Bolivar of the peaceful nature n
our expedition, read our am bilious coach
man q bigh-spiced coster warning mad,
some slight necessary repairs, eatherer
together our distributed hampers anf
their contents, and then proceeded will
greater calmness and circumspection. I'm
none the less merrily, on our pleasan
holiday.
As wo logged along at an easy gait i,
the fine May morning. there was muri
interesting TO see and know through tn
medium of my coster friends sources a
information. While they quantity tol,
me of this and that, to them, familiar oh
lect along or upon the highway, l CAV
them, in return. bit of the Forest his
tory. Some of these things my reader
may care 10 know as well as Jem an,