'I find I gets on better at supper when I does,' replied Sam.

'Have you been long in Bath, sir?' inquired the powdered- headed

footman. 'I have not had the pleasure of hearing of you before.'

'I haven't created any wery surprisin' sensation here, as yet,' rejoined

Sam, 'for me and the other fash'nables only come last night.'

Nice place, Sir,' said the powdered-headed footman.

Seems so,' observed Sam.

Pleasant society, sir,' remarked the powdered-headed footman. 'Very

agreeable servants, sir.'

'I should think they wos,' replied Sam. 'Affable, unaffected, say-

nothin'-to-nobody sorts o' fellers.'

Oh, very much so, indeed, sir,' said the powdered-headed footman,

taking Sam's remarks as a high compliment. 'Very much so indeed.

Do you do anything in this way, Sir?' inquired the tall footman,

producing a small snuff-box with a fox's head on the top of it.

Not without sneezing,' replied Sam.

Why, it IS difficult, sir, I confess,' said the tall footman. 'It may be

done by degrees, Sir. Coffee is the best practice. I carried coffee, Sir,

for a long time. It looks very like rappee, sir.'

Here, a sharp peal at the bell reduced the powdered-headed footman

to the ignominious necessity of putting the fox's head in his pocket,

and hastening with a humble countenance to Mr Bantam's 'study.' By

the bye, who ever knew a man who never read or wrote either, who

hadn't got some small back parlour which he WOULD call a study!

There is the answer, sir,' said the powdered-headed footman. 'I'm

afraid you'll find it inconveniently large.'

Don't mention it,' said Sam, taking a letter with a small enclosure.

It's just possible as exhausted natur' may manage to surwive it.'

I hope we shall meet again, Sir,' said the powdered-headed footman,

rubbing his hands, and following Sam out to the door-step.

You are wery obligin', sir,' replied Sam. 'Now, don't allow yourself to

be fatigued beyond your powers; there's a amiable bein'. Consider

what you owe to society, and don't let yourself be injured by too much

work. For the sake o' your feller-creeturs, keep yourself as quiet as

The Pickwick Papers