Title:  Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 99., Dec. 20, 1890

Author:  Various

Release Date:  July 16, 2004 [EBook #12917]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of this project gutenberg EBOOK Punch ***

Produced by Malcolm Farmer, William Flis, and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team.

PUNCH,

Or the London charivari.

Vol. 99.

December 20, 1890.

VOCES POPULI.

The riding-class.

Scene—­A Riding-school, on a raw chilly afternoon.  The gas is lighted, but does not lend much cheerfulness to the interior, which is bare and bleak, and pervaded by a bluish haze.  Members of the Class discovered standing about on the tan, waiting for their horses to be brought in.  At the further end is an alcove, with a small balcony, in which Mrs. BILBOW-KAY, the Mother of one of the Equestrians, is seated with a young female Friend.

Mrs. Bilbow-Kay. Oh, Robert used to ride very nicely indeed when he was a boy; but he has been out of practice lately, and so, as the Doctor ordered him horse-exercise, I thought it would be wiser for him to take a few lessons.  Such an excellent change for any one with sedentary pursuits!

[Illustration]

The Friend. But isn’t riding a sedentary pursuit, too?

Mrs. B.-K. Robert says he doesn’t find it so.

    [Enter the Riding Master.

Riding Master (saluting with cane).  Evenin’, Gentlemen—­your ’orses will be in directly; ’ope we shall see some ridin’ this time. (Clatter without; enter Stablemen with horses.) Let me see—­Mr. Bilbow-Kay, Sir, you’d better ride the Shar; he ain’t been out all day, so he’ll want some ’andling. (Mr. B.-K., with a sickly smile, accepts a tall and lively horse.) No, Mr. TONGS, that ain’t your ’orse to-day—­you’ve got beyond ’im, Sir.  We’ll put you up on Lady Loo; she’s a bit rough till you get on terms with her, but you’ll be all right on her after a bit.  Yes, Mr. JOGGLES, Sir, you take Kangaroo, please.  Mr. BUMPAS, I’ve ’ad the Artful Dodger out for you; and mind he don’t get rid of you so easy as he did Mr. GRIPPER last time.  Got a nice ’orse for you, Mr.  ’ARRY SNIGGERS, Sir—­Frar Diavolo.  You mustn’t take no notice of his bucking a bit at starting—­he’ll soon leave it off.

Mr. Sniggers (who conceals his qualms under a forced facetiousness).  Soon leave me off, you mean!