Dialogue — Julius' Row at the Dry Dock.

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Julius. Pompey, did I eber tell you of my fight ober by de Dry Dock, dar?

Pompey. No, Julius, did you pick up a muss alongshore, did you.

Julius. No, I did'nt pick up a muss, but anoder feller picked up one wid me, he did, Pompey.

Jonson. Well, what was the trouble, Julius?

Julius. Why, you see, Mr. Jonson, I was gwine ober dar dat way, you see, wid a young lady on my arm, to see de hot-air ship, de eel-skin.

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Jonson. The Erricson you mean, Julius.

Julius. Yes, the squirt gun, dat goes widout water — caus you see, Mr. Jonson, dar might cum a drought at sea sometime you know, to kinder offset the flood out of spite or something.

Jonson. Well, let's hear about the fight, Julius.

Julius. Well, you see as I was goin' along wid de damsel on my arm, dis feller steps up — you see, I had my goold watch chain on Mr. Jonson — and axed me de time ob day.

Jonson. Well, you told him of course, Julius.

Julius. No, I didn't tell him, Mr. Jonson.

Jonson. Why then, Julius, you was guilty of a breach of etiquette.

Julius. Ha!

Jonson. You was guilty of a breach of politeness.

Julius. Well, you see, Mr. Jonson, I couldn't tell him de time; cause I had lef de watch for safe keepin' with a gentleman down in Chatham street.

Pompey. Yes, he'll keep him safe, he will.

Julius. So you see de feller got mad and wanted to fight, and you see he was bigger than me, and I told him "I neber construed affronts, in de presence ob ladies." (You see, Mr. Jonson, I'd been ober to see "Eddy," in de Lady of Lyons.)

Jonson. Yes, I see you'd been around, Julius, but why don't you go on wid your story?

Julius. Oh, yes — well, you see, my poetry did'nt go down wid him at all — he was bound to fight — and swore he must fight.

Jonson. Well, you did fight, did'nt you, Julius?

Julius. Oh yes, I fit him — dar came up a crowd, and took de young lady in a grocery store, and dey swore too, I must fight — so you see, I told de chap I stood a poor chance, and if I cried "enuf" he must let up. Oh yes, says he, ob course.

Pompey. Did you cry enuf, Julius?

Julius. Well, we went at it, Mr. Jonson, and de first clinch I fell on de ground) and he fell top ob me. Oh, Lor how I yelled.

Pompey. You yelled "enuf." Ob course you did.

Julius. No siree I did'nt. Ob course I did'nt.

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Jonson. You did'nt Julius.

Julias. Well, Mr. Jonson, I was so frightened, I forgot de word, and I yelled hurrah! as loud as I could bawl — and don't you tink de feller thought I had got de best ob him, and he cried out "Enuf!"

Company. He did!

Julius. Yes siree — he did — and I let him up, or rather, (scratching his head,) he got off de top ob me, and axed my pardon for consulting me.

Jonson. Well, how did you dispose of the matter, Julius.

Julius. I threw myself on my dignity, Mr. Jonson, and sprang towards him wid my fist doubled up, and says I in a loud voice, "Sir — did I understand you to cry enuf?" "Oh, yes," says he! "Well," says I, "dat is de very word I was trying to tink of all de time!"