Page:Surprizing adventures, of Jack Oakum, & Tom Splicewell.pdf/23

Rh and having piddled a little while with the bones of his veal, till he had cleaned them, he called for another good bumper of red wine, which he had no sooner tipped off but he called for another, and which made the company, I mean the strangers, begin to think that he intended to drink as much as he had eaten.—Now, says he, gentlemen, few people that are fond of plumb-pudding know how to eat it, or any thing of a proper sauce to it; and as most sorts of puddings are heavy and cloying, but especially plumb-pudding, no sauce can be better to it than red wine, because the fine smartness of the wine helps to palliate the pudding——With that he pours his bumper of red wine into his plate, and cuts full two thirds of what pudding was remaining in the dish. This crowned the whole work, for his companions seeing that, divided the other amongst them, and Joe was now admired as prodigy indeed.

Sometime after dinner was over the landlord came up stairs, and desired to speak a word with one of Joe's friends—Sir, says he, as that