66 PATTERERS WELL UP" IN STREET SLANG. 137 knives, and pocket-books containing information for every body, with pockets to hold money, and a pencil to write with in the bargain, and a van stuffed with the cheap productions of Sheffield and "Brummagem;"-he, too, is a patterer of the highest order, and visits fairs, and can hold a conversation in the rhyming slang. Such is a rough description of the men who speak this jargon; and simple and ridiculous as the vulgar scheme of a rhyming slang may appear, it must be regarded as a curious fact in linguistic history. In order that the reader's patience may not be too much taxed, only a selection of rhyming words has been given in the Glossary,—and these for the most part, as in the case of the back slang, are the terms of everyday life, as used by this order of tramps and hucksters. It must not be supposed, however, that the chaunter or patterer confines himself entirely to this slang when conveying secret intelligence. On the contrary, although he speaks not a "leash of languages," yet is he master of the beggars' cant, and is thoroughly "up" in street slang. The following letter, written by a chaunter to a gentleman who took an interest in his welfare, will show his capabilities in this line. Dear Friend,* Excuse the liberty, since i saw you last i have not earned a thickun, we have had such a Dowry of Parny that it completely stumped or Coopered Drory the Bossmans Patter therefore i am broke up and not having another friend but you i wish to know if you would lend me the price of 2 Gross of Tops, Dies, or Croaks, which is 7 shillings, of the above mentioned worthy and Sarah Chesham the Essex Burick for the Poisining job, they are both to be topped at Springfield Sturaban on Tuesday next. i hope you will oblige * The writer, a street chaunter of ballads and last dying speeches, alludes in his letter to two celebrated criminals, Thos. Drory the murderer of Jael Denny, and Sarah Chesham who poisoned her husband, accounts of whose Trials and "Horrid deeds" he had been selling. I give a glossary of the cant words. Thickun, a crownpiece. Topped, hung. Quid, a sovereign. me if you can for it will be the means of putting a Quid or a James in my Clye. i will call at your Carser on Sunday Evening next for an answer, for i want to Speel on the Drum as soon as possible. hoping you and the family are All Square, I remain Your Obedient Servant, GLOSSARY OF THE RHYMING SLANG. ABRAHAM'S WILLING, a shilling. ALACOMPAIN, rain. ALL AFLOAT, a coat. ANY RACKET, a penny faggot. APPLE AND PEARS, stairs. ARTFUL DODGER, a lodger. ARTICHOKE RIPE, smoke a pipe. BABY PAPS, caps. BARNET FAIR, hair. BATTLE OF THE NILE, a tile,-vulgar term for a hat. BEN FLAKE, a steak. BILLY BUTTON, mutton. BIRCH BROOM, a room. BIRD LIME, time. BOB, MY PAL, a gal,-vulgar pronunciation of girl. BONNETS SO BLUE, Irish stew. BOTTLE OF SPRUCE, a deuce,―slang for twopence. |