Racking along and gossip

1. What does 'racking along' mean? (P.S.--Hello! Uncle Obadiah. How's the old burg racking along? What would the government do without you and me? )

2. What does 'and that counted' mean? ("Don't I know it?" Keogh would answer. "Of course you've forgotten her. Proper thing to do. Wasn't quite 0. K. of her to listen to the knocks that--er--Dink Pawson kept giving you."
"Pink Dawson!"--a word of contempt would be in Johnny's tones--"Poor white trash! That's what he was. Had five hundred acres of farming land, though; and that counted.)

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Rok

1. What does 'racking along' mean? (P.S.--Hello! Uncle Obadiah. How's the old burg racking along? What would the government do without you and me? )

'rack' refers to the framework of a structure. A human skeletal structure is also a 'rack'. 'racking' is its verb form; i.e., the old burg is racking along. I believe - but I could be wrong - the question "How's the old burg racking along?" is in reference to his uncle's tired, old bones.

2. What does 'and that counted' mean? ("Don't I know it?" Keogh would answer. "Of course you've forgotten her. Proper thing to do. Wasn't quite 0. K. of her to listen to the knocks that--er--Dink Pawson kept giving you."
"Pink Dawson!"--a word of contempt would be in Johnny's tones--"Poor white trash! That's what he was. Had five hundred acres of farming land, though; and that counted.)

. . . ; and that was an advantage.