128 LONDON ANGLER'S BOOK, 



THE KNUCKLE OF HAM. 



Two Irishmen and a Yorkshireman, well known Anglers, &nd 

 all tailors, started full of expectation towards a famed spot in the 

 North Road, long before day light they were on their way, and 

 arrived at the appointed place ; but, either meeting with the 

 water out of order, or from some other cause, they, without 

 staying for refreshment, turned round on their way back to Lon- 

 don, and when within a few miles of that place they unanimously 

 agreed to refresh, accordingly they retired to a road side public 

 house and enjoyed to the full extent a draught of good ale. One 

 of them old G n went fast asleep, the other Pat knowing he 

 (G.) had provided himself with something to eat (but his selfish 

 disposition prevented him sharing it with his companions, opened 

 his pocket to see what it was, when he exclaimed in a whisper : 

 " By St. Patrick, there now, there's a beautiful knuckle of ham 

 " that thief of a Jemmy has saved to eat all alone, and wo'nt 

 " we have it with our ale while he's snoring away with his ugly 

 " nose, its myself will begin, and George there's a slice for you 

 " now, and see there's the taties the thief to hide them from his 

 " cronies, its not so much for the knuckle as the pratees I'd care 

 " at all, bad luck to the stingy spalpeen, cold taties the beauty 

 <c o' the world." 



The bone was soon picked, and to compensate the weight, 

 George suggested that Patrick should roll up a brick in the nap- 

 kin and put it in Jemmy's pocket Pat no sooner heard this pro- 

 position than he exclaimed, " By the hookey that's a capital idea 

 " of yours, its myself will get a brick, keep him asleep while I 

 " get it." Patrick taking another swig at the ale, started to look 

 tor this commodity, but was unsuccessful in this, until he tra- 

 velled nearly a mile from where he started, having at length 

 procured one, he returned and found his countryman still in the 

 arms of Morpheus, having carefully wrapped it in the napkin, 

 they placed it in the pocket of their drowsy companion, and then 

 with a shake of the shoulder, Pat exclaimed, Jemmy you 



