That's the way things 'appen with me!"
It seemed that this was the first occasion on which the audience had
had the privilege of hearing this chaste and simple production, and
nothing could exceed their frantic delight--the song was rapturously
re-demanded again and again. Tears stood in TIME's eyes, but they were
not the tears of excessive mirth; it was almost incredible--but the
"Mastodon Mome" had only succeeded in rendering his depression more
acute.
"A melancholy performance that," he said, shaking his head, "a sorry
piece of vulgar buffoonery, Sir!"
"Aren't you rather severe, Sir?" remonstrated _Mr. Punch_; "the song
is an immense hit--it has, as they say on this planet, 'knocked them;'
from henceforth that vocalist's fortune is made; he will receive the
income of a Cabinet Minister, and his fame will spread from planet
to planet. Why, to-morrow, Sir, that commonplace phrase, '_Quite
permiscuous! Who'd ha' thought of it_?' will be upon the lips of every
inhabitant; it will receive brevet-rank as a witticism of the first
order, it will enrich the language, and enjoy an immortality, which
will endure--ah, till the introduction of a newer catchword! I assure
you the most successful book--the wittiest comedy, the divinest
poem, have never won for their authors the immediate and sensational
reputation which this singer has obtained at a bound with a few
doggerel verses and an ungrammatical refrain.
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