Japhet, in Search of a Father by Frederick Marryat
page 20 of 532 (03%)
page 20 of 532 (03%)
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happy, devil-may-care expression in his face, that you liked him the
first minute that you were in his company, and I was intimate with him immediately. "I say, Japhet," said he, "where did you come from?" "The Foundling," replied I. "Then you have no friends or relations." "If I have, I do not know where to find them," replied I, very gravely. "Pooh! don't be grave upon it. I haven't any either. I was brought up by the parish, in the workhouse. I was found at the door of a gentleman's house, who sent me to the overseers--I was about a year old then. They call me a foundling, but I don't care what they call me, so long as they don't call me too late for dinner. Father and mother, whoever they were, when they ran away from me, didn't run away with my appetite. I wonder how long master means to play with his knife and fork. As for Mr Brookes, what he eats wouldn't physic a snipe. What's your other name, Japhet?" "Newland." "Newland--now you shall have mine in exchange: Timothy Oldmixon at your service. They christened me after the workhouse pump, which had 'Timothy Oldmixon fecit' on it; and the overseers thought it as good a name to give me as any other; so I was christened after the pump-maker with some of the pump water. As soon as I was big enough, they employed me to pump all the water for the use of the workhouse. I worked at my _papa_, as I |
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