Respecting this same boarding and lodging, Young Master Wilding," said
he.
"Yes, Joey?"
"Speaking for myself, Young Master Wilding--and I never did speak and I
never do speak for no one else--_I_ don't want no boarding nor yet no
lodging. But if you wish to board me and to lodge me, take me. I can
peck as well as most men. Where I peck ain't so high a object with me as
What I peck. Nor even so high a object with me as How Much I peck. Is
all to live in the house, Young Master Wilding? The two other cellarmen,
the three porters, the two 'prentices, and the odd men?"
"Yes. I hope we shall all be an united family, Joey."
"Ah!" said Joey. "I hope they may be."
"They? Rather say we, Joey."
Joey Ladle shook his held. "Don't look to me to make we on it, Young
Master Wilding, not at my time of life and under the circumstances which
has formed my disposition. I have said to Pebbleson Nephew many a time,
when they have said to me, 'Put a livelier face upon it, Joey'--I have
said to them, 'Gentlemen, it is all wery well for you that has been
accustomed to take your wine into your systems by the conwivial channel
of your throttles, to put a lively face upon it; but,' I says, 'I have
been accustomed to take _my_ wine in at the pores of the skin, and, took
that way, it acts different. It acts depressing. It's one thing,
gentlemen,' I says to Pebbleson Nephew, 'to charge your glasses in a
dining-room with a Hip Hurrah and a Jolly Companions Every One, and it's
another thing to be charged yourself, through the pores, in a low dark
cellar and a mouldy atmosphere. It makes all the difference betwixt
bubbles and wapours,' I tells Pebbleson Nephew. And so it do. I've been
a cellarman my life through, with my mind fully given to the business.
What's the consequence? I'm as muddled a man as lives--you won't find a
muddleder man than me--nor yet you won't find my equal in molloncolly.
Sing of Filling the bumper fair, Every drop you sprinkle, O'er the brow
of care, Smooths away a wrinkle? Yes. P'raps so. But try filling
yourself through the pores, underground, when you don't want to it!"
"I am sorry to hear this, Joey. I had even thought that you might join a
singing-class in the house."
"Me, sir? No, no, Young Master Wilding, you won't catch Joey Ladle
muddling the Armony. A pecking-machine, sir, is all that I am capable of
proving myself, out of my cellars; but that you're welcome to, if you
think it is worth your while to keep such a thing on your premises."
"I do, Joey."
"Say no more, sir. The Business's word is my law. And you're a going to
take Young Master George Vendale partner into the old Business?"
"I am, Joey."
"More changes, you see! But don't change the name of the Firm again.
Don't do it, Young Master Wilding. It was bad luck enough to make it
Yourself and Co. Better by far have left it Pebbleson Nephew that good
luck always stuck to. You should never change luck when it's good, sir."
"At all events, I have no intention of changing the name of the House
again, Joey."
"Glad to hear it, and wish you good-day, Young Master Wilding. But you
had better by half," muttered Joey Ladle inaudibly, as he closed the door
and shook his head, "have let the name alone from the first. You had
better by half have followed the luck instead of crossing it."
he.
"Yes, Joey?"
"Speaking for myself, Young Master Wilding--and I never did speak and I
never do speak for no one else--_I_ don't want no boarding nor yet no
lodging. But if you wish to board me and to lodge me, take me. I can
peck as well as most men. Where I peck ain't so high a object with me as
What I peck. Nor even so high a object with me as How Much I peck. Is
all to live in the house, Young Master Wilding? The two other cellarmen,
the three porters, the two 'prentices, and the odd men?"
"Yes. I hope we shall all be an united family, Joey."
"Ah!" said Joey. "I hope they may be."
"They? Rather say we, Joey."
Joey Ladle shook his held. "Don't look to me to make we on it, Young
Master Wilding, not at my time of life and under the circumstances which
has formed my disposition. I have said to Pebbleson Nephew many a time,
when they have said to me, 'Put a livelier face upon it, Joey'--I have
said to them, 'Gentlemen, it is all wery well for you that has been
accustomed to take your wine into your systems by the conwivial channel
of your throttles, to put a lively face upon it; but,' I says, 'I have
been accustomed to take _my_ wine in at the pores of the skin, and, took
that way, it acts different. It acts depressing. It's one thing,
gentlemen,' I says to Pebbleson Nephew, 'to charge your glasses in a
dining-room with a Hip Hurrah and a Jolly Companions Every One, and it's
another thing to be charged yourself, through the pores, in a low dark
cellar and a mouldy atmosphere. It makes all the difference betwixt
bubbles and wapours,' I tells Pebbleson Nephew. And so it do. I've been
a cellarman my life through, with my mind fully given to the business.
What's the consequence? I'm as muddled a man as lives--you won't find a
muddleder man than me--nor yet you won't find my equal in molloncolly.
Sing of Filling the bumper fair, Every drop you sprinkle, O'er the brow
of care, Smooths away a wrinkle? Yes. P'raps so. But try filling
yourself through the pores, underground, when you don't want to it!"
"I am sorry to hear this, Joey. I had even thought that you might join a
singing-class in the house."
"Me, sir? No, no, Young Master Wilding, you won't catch Joey Ladle
muddling the Armony. A pecking-machine, sir, is all that I am capable of
proving myself, out of my cellars; but that you're welcome to, if you
think it is worth your while to keep such a thing on your premises."
"I do, Joey."
"Say no more, sir. The Business's word is my law. And you're a going to
take Young Master George Vendale partner into the old Business?"
"I am, Joey."
"More changes, you see! But don't change the name of the Firm again.
Don't do it, Young Master Wilding. It was bad luck enough to make it
Yourself and Co. Better by far have left it Pebbleson Nephew that good
luck always stuck to. You should never change luck when it's good, sir."
"At all events, I have no intention of changing the name of the House
again, Joey."
"Glad to hear it, and wish you good-day, Young Master Wilding. But you
had better by half," muttered Joey Ladle inaudibly, as he closed the door
and shook his head, "have let the name alone from the first. You had
better by half have followed the luck instead of crossing it."