The Fortunes of Ferdinand Flipper
Dateca. 1850–1859
abstractThe Fortunes of Ferdinand Flipper, a rambling episodic tale that narrates Ferdinand Flipper’s birth, education, employment, romance, fortunes, and death, is the first comic book written in the United States.
RepositoryRauner Special Collections
Call NumberRare Book (NC1420 .F68)
Extent1 preliminary leaf, 78 unnumbered pages of illustrations. 15 x 24 cm.
Access and Usage RightsCopyright © 2013 Trustees of Dartmouth College. Publicly accessible for non-commercial use: these pages may be freely searched and displayed, but permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Please see http://www.dartmouth.edu/~library/schcomm/copyright/rights.html for more information.
The FORTUNES
OF
FERDINAND FLIPPER.
COMMENCING WITH A
PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS
ANTERIOR TO HIS
BIRTH,
GOING THROUGH THE
VARIOUS STAGES OF HIS
INFANCY,
CHILDHOOD,
Verdant Years,
MANHOOD, MIDDLE LIFE
AND
GREEN
AND
RIPE OLD AGE,
AND ENDING A SHORT TIME
SUBSEQUENT TO
HIS SUDDEN DECEASE,
WITH HIS F1NAL EXIT,
FUNERAL, and BURIAL.
PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS
ANTERIOR TO HIS
BIRTH,
GOING THROUGH THE
VARIOUS STAGES OF HIS
INFANCY,
CHILDHOOD,
Verdant Years,
MANHOOD, MIDDLE LIFE
AND
GREEN
AND
RIPE OLD AGE,
AND ENDING A SHORT TIME
SUBSEQUENT TO
HIS SUDDEN DECEASE,
WITH HIS F1NAL EXIT,
FUNERAL, and BURIAL.
NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED AT THE BROTHER JONATHAN OFFICE.
C. A. ALVORD'S PRINT.
PUBLISHED AT THE BROTHER JONATHAN OFFICE.
C. A. ALVORD'S PRINT.
Mr. Ferdinand Flipper, senior, a respectable middle-aged gentleman, talks over
delicate private family matters, with "the gude wife," and a bottle of old port.
delicate private family matters, with "the gude wife," and a bottle of old port.
The old gentleman re-
flects seriously upon
this conversation.
flects seriously upon
this conversation.
The "gude wife" sends at once for a medical gentleman of the old
school, wearing a cue-who gives her a cue to an important event
which he predicts will take place in just four month.
school, wearing a cue-who gives her a cue to an important event
which he predicts will take place in just four month.
When the proper time came round, Mr. Flipper goes for
a Monthly Nurse.
a Monthly Nurse.
The Nurse starts to enter upon her duties.
The interesting and joyful family event takes place precisely
as the Doctor had predicted.
as the Doctor had predicted.
The joyful news is dispatched to the village.
Whereupon the villagers celebrate the happy event with music and dancing.
One of the b'hoys starts off after a dozen carriages and coaches.
And the whole of the revellers are treated to a glorious ride at Mr. Flipper?s expense.
In the goodness of his heart, he also dispatches
a messenger to a neighboring tavern.
a messenger to a neighboring tavern.
And orders a treat to be spread out on the lawn and served up to the whole neighborhood.
As soon as the "gude wife" is comfortable, old Mr. Flipper
goes and imparts the joyful tidings to Capt. Tompkins.
goes and imparts the joyful tidings to Capt. Tompkins.
The Captain is delighted, and meeting his friend Snobs,
they talk over the happy event.
they talk over the happy event.
The Captain consults the editor of a New York
Evening Newspaper.
Evening Newspaper.
The joyful news is consequently written down in handsome style
and stuck upon the bulletin
and stuck upon the bulletin
It soon becomes talked about all over town.
Even the sentimental Miss Serephena
Snooks hears of, and ponders upon it.
Snooks hears of, and ponders upon it.
In the meantime old Mr. Flipper goes home and plays with his baby.
Hearing some of his friends in
the street, he beckons to them
to come in.
the street, he beckons to them
to come in.
And he treats them to a bottle of Champaigne.
Quite a number of his acquaintances also drop in to taste of the champaigne, and getting
excited, make a great
racket and disturbance.
racket and disturbance.
Mrs. Flipper is dreadfully agitated by the noise.
She is taken with hysterics and put in a bag.
In this curious predicament she escapes from home.
And the people are very much frightened.
Protection comes from an unknown quarter.
And she is finally captured.
And put to bed.
She is long pensive and unhappy.
While the babe grows apace.
The happiness of the family is finally restored, and all goes well.
Meantime the infant Flipper grows exceedingly interesting under the fostering care
of its father.
It is allowed innocent recreation
And he watches over its slumbers.
Ferdinand Flipper, getting to be a lusty boy, is allowed to ramble on the hills.
And enjoy healthy exercise in the valleys.
He gives his playmates a nice little dinner party.
And they take a delightful ride.
During the ride, the happy youths alight, and revel in the luxury of their
freedom by gathering strawberries.
freedom by gathering strawberries.
And climbing the grassy banks.
And playing in the forest.
The young Flipper gets into a fight.
And is very properly punished for it.
After this, his mother does not let him go out except with the school-master
To make him more steady, young Ferdinand is put at school with some Monks.
They are very kind, and give him grapes to eat.
Being allowed to take a ride, he goes to
drive up his horses.
drive up his horses.
But is chased by a monster.
He takes an airing with two young ladies belonging to the Monkish Establishment.
He leaves the Monks to seek his fortune.
One of the" ghostly fathers," pursues him.
But young Ferdinand escapes his pursuer, and joining some female strollers, disguises
himself as an itinerant fiddler.
Soon getting tired of this mode of life, he wants to go home to his mother.
Is fully determined to go.
He starts to go on horseback, but gets badly frightened.
The departure of Ferdinand is much regretted by the people.
And the musicians reluctantly go on with their performances without him.
Getting tired of riding horseback, young Flipper takes a locomotive express,
which explodes and blows him sky-high.
which explodes and blows him sky-high.
He alights near a forest, at a distance from the catastrophe.
Being terribly frightened by a mysterious monster in the forest, he jumps up
three feet from the ground, and starts for home on foot.
three feet from the ground, and starts for home on foot.
Taking the shape of a phantom steed, the monster pursues him.
Ferdinand luckily escapes, and arrives at the paternal home.
He climbs over the garden wall.
And is surprised to find that the family mansion has disappeared.
Everyone in the village is glad to see him, but none can explain the mysterious
disappearance of the elder Flippers.
disappearance of the elder Flippers.
Again young Ferdinand resolves to go and seek his fortune, and this time
he goes in the mail coach.
he goes in the mail coach.
The journey proves to be a tedious one.
And the coach passengers are grum and ill-natured.
Arriving at a village, the horses are properly taken care of.
Meanwhile Ferdinand Flipper, while taking a walk, sees a great crowd, and goes to
find out the cause of it.
He finds there some new but mysterious acquaintances,
who take him home in a chaise.
who take him home in a chaise.
At their mansion he sees many strangers, and they all sit at table to drink wine.
The next day a party of them go on a hunt, all armed and equipped.
While they are gone, young Ferdinand looks about the mansion and discovers a singular
apartment.
He finds a passage into the forest, and sees strange marks on a tree.
Young Flipper finds his new acquaintances to be curious kind of people.
They will not let him depart, but set him at work in a way
that he dislikes extremely.
that he dislikes extremely.
He is compelled to work so hard with little
to eat, that he gets exceedingly thin.
to eat, that he gets exceedingly thin.
One night his new friends give a large party, and Ferdinand takes advantage of the
occasion and makes his escape from them
through the scuttle of the roof.
through the scuttle of the roof.
Getting on to the roof, he reflects upon his present
position and future prospects over a quiet segar.
position and future prospects over a quiet segar.
Ferdinand resolves to go to New York, and embarks
in a crowded vehicle.
in a crowded vehicle.
Getting tired of riding in a coach, he continues his journey on horseback, and thus
meets with a romantic adventure
in rescuing a beautiful young lady from drowning.
in rescuing a beautiful young lady from drowning.
On arriving at the great city, he has some trouble in taking care of his
baggage, and keeping it from the thieves.
baggage, and keeping it from the thieves.
In New York, young Flipper plays the gentleman for one day, and goes to see a parade
of troopers.
The military procession marches up town, and thence proceeds down the Bowery towards
the Battery
Ferdinand perseveringly follows the crowd until the troops arrive at the Battery,
where three cheers are given for General Morris.
Being ambitious for office, young Flipper receives the appointment of printer's devil
to the Brother Jonathan.
He soon becomes a very interest-
ing and genteel young man.
ing and genteel young man.
In making the customary calls on New Years Day, Ferdinand gets somewhat excited with
wine.
And going home at night, exceedingly
drunk, he makes a great noise at the
front door.
drunk, he makes a great noise at the
front door.
The Editor of the Brother Jonathan gives him a good blowing up for his spreeing propensities.
Young Flipper next goes
to enjoy the sports of
Hoboken.
to enjoy the sports of
Hoboken.
He soon attempts to renew his New Years acquaintance,
but receives "the cut direct" from one of the ladies.
but receives "the cut direct" from one of the ladies.
Starting for home, he hears a cry of fire, and goes to assist at the conflagration.
Ferdinand gets badly hurt at the fire, and is put to bed in a strange garret.
One of his sporting friends
goes to call the Doctor.
goes to call the Doctor.
The Doctor starts with his saddle-
bags under his arm.
bags under his arm.
Meantime a jovial friend calls in to visit the invalid, and the doctor's services
are dispensed with.
The retreat of Ferdinand is discovered
by a highly inquisitive gentleman.
by a highly inquisitive gentleman.
He and his jovial friend leave immediately, and go to a masked ball.
The ugly looking fellow whom
Ferdinand quarreled with
at the ball.
Ferdinand quarreled with
at the ball.
The pretty black-ey'd girl
that he fell in love with
at the ball.
that he fell in love with
at the ball.
The crowd, on leaving the ball, kept him in the street for half an hour.
Ferdinand attempts to get into an omnibus, but meets a rebuff.
Procuring a horse, he attempts that mode of conveyance. but is again tormented.
Ferdinand is finally successful, and arrives at the home of the pretty black-eyed
girl; but
he soon finds out that she has already got a lover, and will take little notice of him.
he soon finds out that she has already got a lover, and will take little notice of him.
To gain her favor, he sends her a box of rich presents.
This pleases her, and she directs her maid to admit him, blindfolded, to the garden.
The weather being cool, they step into a retired sitting-room; but Ferdinand's rival
discovers and watches them at the door.
discovers and watches them at the door.
Ferdinand and the black-eyed girl take a ramble to admire the beauties of nature.
They become sentimental, and reaching a retired spot, seal their mutual vows.
They become sentimental, and reaching a retired spot, seal their mutual vows.
While thus enjoying the delights of love, they are disturbed by a savage stranger.
And in hastening home, they are mysteriously watched and annoyed.
The black-eyed girl in a morning dishabille.
The black-eyed girl dressed for a ball.
Hearing of her gaiety, the rival lover of the black-eyed
girl becomes dejected and sentimental.
girl becomes dejected and sentimental.
And to drown his grief, he enlists as a soldier.
His wash-woman communicates the painful fact to the black-eyed girl.
Who, feeling unhappy about it, talks over the matter with her cousin.
She also consults an old gipsey as to her future fortunes with Mr. Flipper.
Ferdinand Flipper now makes love to the black-eyed girl in good earnest.
They ramble in the fields, and sit together on grassy banks.
Some ruffians, hired by the rival lover, forcibly seize and carry off Young Flipper.
He attempts to escape, but they overpower him and dispatch him with their clubs.
Hearing his misfortune, the black-eye girl falls in a swoon to the grief of her father.
The friends of the family, and the Doctor, are called to her relief.
On hearing of the outrage on Young Flipper, hosts of other friends rush to the house
of the black-
eyed girl to sympathise and condole with her.
eyed girl to sympathise and condole with her.
As soon as she is well enough, the black-eyed girl goes in a carriage
in search of Ferdinand.
in search of Ferdinand.
On getting out of the carriage a gang of impertinent fellows annoy her.
Not being able to find her beloved, she becomes pensive and unhappy.
Meantime Ferdinand Flipper is taken up for dead, and carried to the hospital.
The rival's friends, on Ferdinand's escape, consult as to how they shall be rid of
him
They send a wicked woman to the hospital to poison him.
Who, not succeeding, an accomplice is accused of bribing her to let Ferdinand live.
Meantime Ferdinand Flipper rapidly recovers from his injuries.
And when leaving the hospital another attempt is made to destroy his life.
But on this occasion, the villains are scattered by the arrival of an athletic friend.
The ruffians complain to a magistrate, but are properly told to go about their business.
Young Flipper now resolves to go on a journey, but a strange accident prevents his
starting.
The accident frightens a by-
stander nearly out of his wits
stander nearly out of his wits
In the confusion of the event, thieves run off with his baggage, but are captured
by the Police, just as he overtakes them.
The avaricious old man whom the thieves robbed.
The timid old man whom the thieves frightened.
Hearing of the accident to her beloved Flipper, the black-eyed girl runs to
find him, and rushes into his arms
find him, and rushes into his arms
While the thieves are taken to Court for trial.
Returning home, the lovers are disturbed from the felicity of love by an invitation
to the ballet.
Enthusiasm of the black-eyed girl on witnessing the performances.
The act of the ballet which so delighted her.
The Polka that was danced.
The Polka——another figure.
The ballet of "Aladdin," which the lovers likewise witnessed.
The audience at the theatre are surprised at an unexpected announcement from
Brother Jonathan's private box.
Brother Jonathan's private box.
This event likewise causes some confusion on the stage.
Quiet being finally restored, another magnificent act of the ballet is performed.
One of the ballet girls performs the celebrated
umbrella dance.
umbrella dance.
The performances close, and boquets are showered upon the favorite dancers.
The crowd, on leaving the theatre, are not over polite in elbowing their way out.
While tending her flowers the next morning the black-eyed girl becomes absent minded
and annoys an old gentleman below.
The old gentleman alarms the whole house.
And orders his trunks packed, and clears out.
The landlord and his son become angry and abusive.
And the black-eyed girl seeks the protection of a friend.
Going to visit the black-eyed girl, Ferdinand is denied admittance.
Returning home in despair, he finds a letter from the loved one——she has gone,
Ferdinand starts in search of her.
But the black-eyed girl, having disguised herself, all his searches are in vain.
In despair, he equips himself and starts for California.
Being tired of going a-foot, he takes a novel conveyance.
The wonderful sights which Ferdinand saw while on his passage.
A queer looking cod-
ger whom Ferdinand
saw on his arrival.
ger whom Ferdinand
saw on his arrival.
Signs of civilization in California.
A California Judge.
The Judge at a capital
Trial.
Trial.
The Judge waking up
to address the jury.
to address the jury.
The Judge making his
charge to the jury.
charge to the jury.
Progress of medical science
in California.
in California.
A California Millionaire.
The Gold-digging scene which Ferdinand saw at the Mines.
The lucky California Gold Digger.
Ferdinand Flipper, getting tired of California, embarks for home in the Rocky Mountain
cars.
The cars are wrecked in going over uneven ground.
Leaving the passengers in the mountain wilderness.
Meantime the black-eyed girl weeps for her lover.
After incredible hardships, and much suffering from hunger, Ferdinand arrives, ragged
and forlorn, at the house of his sweetheart, who does not at first know him.
and forlorn, at the house of his sweetheart, who does not at first know him.
As soon as mutual congratulations are over, she dresses for church. Unexpected meeting
of her old lover, who has distinguished himself as a soldier and is now a Major.
of her old lover, who has distinguished himself as a soldier and is now a Major.
Marriage of Ferdinand Flipper and the black-eyed girl.
Mrs Flipper receives the congratulations of her female friends.
The first dispute after marriage.
The first Baby.
Happiness of the Flippers on contemplating this event.
Which in course of time ripens into domestic felicity.
As the Flippers advance in years they are sour tempered.
Mr. Flipper is troubled with tight boots.
And vents his anger upon the cat.
He is likewise troubled with the blue devils.
And even while taking his children to walk, cannot escape vexations.
He is taken sick, and sends for the Doctor.
And after a lingering illness, which brings on lunacy and premature old age, dies
in much distress.
The bereaved widow is pensive and unhappy, but orders preparations for the funeral.
Assemblage at the funeral of Ferdinand Flipper
The funeral being over, his burial takes place.
The unhappy widow still continues to visit his grave.
THE END.
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