DONCASTER 231 



scotch — engineering these as a sort of cure — 

 there might be money in a ham and butter-scotch 

 spa. Consume all you can, get above your 

 proper share of the smell, and, generally speaking, 

 take your Doncaster kindly. 



I learned a new thing by observing the 

 Doncaster barbers' shops, and here is a tip 

 concerning the same. When you desire to be 

 shaved, and look into a studio, do not be deceived 

 about the remoteness of your turn by the strength 

 of the *' house" waiting ia the room or rooms. 

 The lads of these parts are a very gregarious 

 set, indoors or out. They love to herd together, 

 and are most sociable. Nowhere in the South 

 do you see such strong companies as you will 

 at York or Doncaster. They set out together 

 by the same ''trip," and stick to each other all 

 the while. So it comes that they go to be shaved 

 in troops, and those operated on first wait after- 

 wards for the others till all have had their turn. 

 Thus you may find seven or eight apparently 

 *' before you," all of them clean-chinned and only 

 sitting till the remaining member of the company 

 has been done. A precious habit this to the 

 studious chronicler, because the lads talk. They 

 do talk indeed, and are very instructive. From 

 them I learned that punching has a wider 

 significance than some of us allow to it. The 

 word, as they use it, appears to apply to almost 

 any sort of stroke, to a kick as well as a hand 

 blow, after the manner of the French coup de pied 

 as well as coup de main. 



''Did you see bookmaker yesterday?" said 

 one. (I am not going to attempt to render the 

 dialect.) "Him as was bookmaking?" asked a 

 mate, with a good deal of accent on the was. 



