A Day in a Punt. 17 



beauteous creature, the first barbel a tremendous achieTement. How one 

 did enjoy things then. Ah ! 



That's nearly thirty years ago, 



Indeed it may be longer ; 

 But still I am, and who is not. 



The man that has been you-ou-ounger. 



Now that's a song that you boys of the present age never heard. No 

 matter, you haven't got all the good things ; don't think it. 



I stood whistling at the door of my abiding place early in the month of 

 August. The moon was sailing high over the trees, and tipping even the 

 muddy ripplets of the Thames with silver. That was the time I liked 

 to look upon the river ; one could then indulge in illusions, and imagine 

 the stately barges, the brocaded dames, and the periwigged beaus of the 

 last century. 



" Charley," I called out suddenly, as an idea struck me, to my companion, 

 with whom I had been smoking and executing many games at cribbage ; 

 " we've never settled what we'll do to-morrow — what say you to starting off 

 and walking down to Hampton Court ; knocking up old BiU Wisdom at day- 

 break, and having a day by the weir ? " 



" Deuced good idea ! I'm agreeable." 



All right then, let's see — eleven o'clock; two hours' snooze on the sofa 

 and then we'll start. Stop a bit. Here, Chump ! " 



I called to a policeman who was passing, a great friend of ours. " Take 

 a drink and caU us in two hours. Knock at the shutters, that'U do." 



The friendly guardian of the night agreed to do as we wished, took his 

 nquor, thanked us, and stalked on. In those days policemen were friendly, 

 and we liked and trusted them, and one heard nothing of " running in," 

 and hard swearing, and aU that sort of thing. A poUceman was regarded 

 with friendly eyes, and had he called on two or three bystanders to help 

 him in a difftculty, they would neither have fallen on him and kicked him 

 senseless, nor would they have skedaddled, as they do now. One policeman 

 then could do the work of six now; and I am bound to say that the 

 police have only themselves to thank for the change and the obnoxious 

 position they much too often occupy. 



P 



