"'You can read about it,' he answers.

"'Oh,' I says, 'and what do they know about it--these gents that sit down
and write about it for their living! You show me a book cracking up the
old times, writ by a chap as lived in 'em, and I'll believe you. Till
then I'll stick to my opinion that the old days were much the same as
these days, and maybe a trifle worse.'

"'From a Sunday School point of view, perhaps yes,' says he; 'but there's
no gainsaying--'

"'No what?' I says.

"'No gainsaying,' repeats he; 'it's a common word in literatoor.'

"'Maybe,' says I, 'but this happens to be "The Blue Posts Coffee House,"
established in the year 1863. We will use modern English here, if you
don't mind.' One had to take him down like that at times. He was the
sort of boy as would talk poetry to you if you weren't firm with him.

"'Well then, there's no denying the fact,' says he, 'if you prefer it
that way, that in the old days there was more opportunity for adventure.'

"'What about Australia?' says I.

"'Australia!' retorts he; 'what would I do there? Be a shepherd, like
you see in the picture, wear ribbons, and play the flute?'

"'There's not much of that sort of shepherding over there,' says I,
'unless I've been deceived; but if Australia ain't sufficiently