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I have a little book, which I bought when I was around 11, at a used bookstore, called "THE FUSSER'S BOOK". I was published in New York, in 1905, and is a funny wee book for young ( in his/her 20s )ladies and gentlemen on how to date and flirt. It is filled with American slang of the day, sadly without explanation of the words; however, most of them are easily deductible from the context; some aren't.

What is a "fusser"? I can't say for sure, but here's a quote from the book:

Don't be daunted by her college degree. The intellectual girl may be dying to be fussed."

Did a quick search on www.dictionary.com and I came up with what it could mean although I only found the word "fuss": A display of affectionate excitement and attention: Everyone made a fuss over the new baby.

So I guess it could mean to "show affection or attention over a certain lady or gentleman."

"ice-wagon".........

Do occasional penance: it is good for the soul. Make the saddest girl in the room feel that she is the most attractive while you are talking to her; or dance during an evening with at least one "ice-wagon".

Hmmm, "ice-wagon" could be a wallflower and/or girl who seems frigid and/or nervous making her look frigid. That would be my guess.

"gooseberry".........

If you realize that you are the gooseberry don't rub it in. He's probably just as unhappy about it as you are.

"Gooseberry" could mean a "party pooper" or "stick in the mud." I heard it used in "Anne of Avonlea," the 1987 miniseries sequel to "Anne of Green Gasbles" (1985) of course based on the books.

Reading Dicken's could be challenging at times, like when in "Oliver Twist," they referred to a handgun as a "barker," I remember having to look it up.

Oh to have a time machine, I'd take my 1970's era cassette tape deck and my 1990's era camcorder back. B-) For a while, I kept getting e-mails from a guy who needed my help in building a time machine, I'm handing at fixing radios and would like to tackle a TV or two (would like to get my 1970 Zenith color TV back in action) but I think time machines are a bit beyond me. B-)

No, as I said, a "fusser" was someone on the dating game...part flirtation, part courtship dance.This book was sort of "THE RULES" of its day.

I'm guessing that an "ice-wagon", was a cold, stout girl. Wallflower was very much in use on the early years of the 20th century, so this has to mean something else.

Gooseberry can be found in several books...Spear's "SLANG AND EUPHEMISM" has hit defined as : " a fool or an oaf", as well as some definitions of a sexual nature; which in this circumstance, it most assuredly isn't.

Dickens used a LOT of Cockney slang, which I know, so I've never had any problems reading his works. :-)

I long for a time machine. Wouldn't that be fun to have? :-)