The Virginia enterprise., 1908-11-27

every man in the country ought to be
tattooed to prevent smallpox. He got
so excited about it that old Sam 'ad to
promise i'm that he should be tattooed
that very night, before he could pacify
i'm.
Ginger was the last one to wake up
i'll the morning, an before e woke he
kept making moaning noise His
cad felt as though it was going to
bust, is tongue felt like a brick, and
is chest was SO sore e could 'ardly
breathe. Then at last e opened is
eyes and looked up and saw Sam an
Peter and little man with a black
mustache.
"'Cheer up Ginger ses Sam, in a
kind voice, it's going on beautiful
my 'ead's splittin', ses Ginger,
with groan, an I've got pins an
needles all over my chest
"'Needles,' ses the man with the
black mustache I never use pins;
they'd pison the flesh
Ginger sat up in bed and stared at
i'm; then e bent is cad down and
squinted at is chest, and next moment
e was out OF bed and all three of em
was holding i'm down on the floor to
prevent i'm breaking the tattooer's
neck which ed set is cart upon
doing and explaining to i'm that the
tattooer was at the top of is profess
sion, and that it was only by a stroke
of luck e had got i'm. And Sam re-
minded i'm wot e 'ad said the night
before, and said he'd live to thank i'm
for it.
Ginger gave in at last, and told the
man to 60 on with the job and finish
it, and e even went so far as to do a
little bit O tattooing 'imself on Sam
when he wasn't looking. e only made
one mark, becos the needle broke of,
and Sam made such fuss that Ginger
said anyone would ha' thought ed
hurt i'm.
"'Owever e was done at last; his
chest and is arms and is shoulders,
and he nearly broke down when Sam
borrowed a bit O looking glass and
let i'm see hisself Then the tattooer
rubbed in some stuff to make is skin
soft agin, and some more stuff to make
the marks look bit old.
They ad little call over in their
room to see 'ow Ginger was to do it,
and to discover the weak p'ints. Sam
worked up squeaky voice, and pre-
tended to be the landlady, and Peter
pretended to be the goodlooking bar
maid.
They went all through it over and
over agin, the only unpleasantness be.
ing caused by Peter Russet letting of
a screech every time Ginger alluded
to is chest WOt set is teeth on edge,
and old Sam as the landlady Offering
Ginger pots O beer which made il
mouth water
We shall go round tomorrow for
the last time ses Sam, as we told 'er
we're sailing the day arter'
Meantime ses Peter Russet, you
mustn't forget that you've got to send
us post office money-orders every
week.
Ginger said e wouldn't forget. and
they shook 'ands all round and ad q
drink together, and the next AFTERNOON
Sam and Peter went to the Blue Lion
for last visit
1T was quite early when they came
back. Ginger was surprised to see
'em, and he said so, but e was more
surprised when e heard their reasons.
1T come over us all at once as
we'd bin doing wrong, Sam ses, SET
ting down with sigh.
Come over us like a chill, it did,
ses Peter.
Doing wrong? ses Ginger Dick,
staring. 'Wot are you talking about?
Something the landlady said
showed us as we was doin' wrong
ses old Sam very solemn; 1t come
over us in flash
Like lightning ses Peter.