If Mr. Headstone had never given any previous thought to the
adhesive properties of frozen bear’s grease, he had good reason to entertain
some consideration of the topic when he arrived at The George and Vulture and discovered that his hat could no longer
be detached from his head. The pedagogue appealed to the Game Chicken for
assistance, he being of all the assembled company the brawniest individual, and
a space was cleared to allow that gentleman room to do his work. Despite the
application of all his strength, combined with a strict observation of
Archimedean principles, the Chicken was neither able to pry, nor to wrench, nor
to twist that stubborn article from the schoolmaster’s head. Although these
endeavours met with no success, the spectacle served to provide some
entertainment for the guests, who applauded the performance under the
mistaken belief that they were witnessing one of the tableaux vivants advertised in the programme. Mr Poll Sweedlepipe
took a particular interest in the scene, and when the Chicken had finally
thrown in the towel, the barber suggested that where brute strength had failed,
feminine wiles might prevail. In short, he proposed that Miss Mowcher be
summoned at once.
Mr Charles Dickens
