OF THE NICKNAMES OF COSTERMONGERS.
Like many rude, and almost all wander-
ing communities, the costermongers, like the
cabmen and pickpockets, are hardly ever known
by their real names; even the honest men among
them are distinguished by some strange appel-
lation. Indeed, they are all known one to
another by nicknames, which they acquire either
by some mode of dress, some remark that has
ensured costermonger applause, some peculiarity
in trading, or some defect or singularly in
personal appearance. Men are known as "Rotten
Herrings," "Spuddy" (a seller of bad potatoes,
until beaten by the Irish for his bad wares,)
"Curly" (a man with a curly head), "Foreigner"
(a had been in the Spanish-Legion),
"Brassy" (a very saucy person), "Gaffy" (once
a performer), "The One-eyed Buffer," "Jaw-
breaker," "Pine-apple Jack," "Cast-iron Poll"
(her head having been struck with a pot without
injury to her), "Whilky," "Blackwall Poll"
(a woman generally having two black eyes),
"Lushy Bet," "Dirty Sall" (the costermongers
generally objecting to dirtywomen), and "Danc-
ing Sue."
