Complete Project Gutenberg John Galsworthy Works eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 6,432 pages of information about Complete Project Gutenberg John Galsworthy Works.

Complete Project Gutenberg John Galsworthy Works eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 6,432 pages of information about Complete Project Gutenberg John Galsworthy Works.

Trustaford.  ‘Tes no yuse yure risin’, not the least bit in the world, till there’s some one to set yu down again.  Haw, haw!

     [Voice from the dumb-as-Etches:  “Mr. Trustaford ’e’s right.”]

Freman.  What I zay is the chairman ought never to ’ave vacated the chair till I’d risen on my point of order.  I purpose that he goo and zet down again.

Godleigh.  Yu can’t purpose that to this meetin’; yu can only purpose that to the old meetin’ that’s not zettin’ any longer.

Freman. [Excitedly] I didn’ care what old meetin’ ’tis that’s zettin’.  I purpose that Sol Potter goo an’ zet in that chair again, while I rise on my point of order.

Trustaford. [Scratching his head] ’Tesn’t regular but I guess yu’ve got to goo, Sol, or us shan’t ’ave no peace.

     [Sol Potter, still wiping his brow, goes back to the chair.]

Morse. [Stolidly-to Freman] Zet down, Will Freman. [He pulls at him with a blacksmith’s arm.]

Freman. [Remaining erect with an effort] I’m not a-goin’ to zet down till I’ve arisen.

Jarland.  Now then, there ’e is in the chair.  What’s yore point of order?

Freman. [Darting his eyes here and there, and flinging his hand up to his gipsy-like head] ‘Twas—­’twas—­Darned ef y’ ’aven’t putt it clean out o’ my ’ead.

Jarland.  We can’t wait for yore points of order.  Come out o’ that chair.  Sol Potter.

     [Sol Potter rises and is about to vacate the chair.]

Freman.  I know!  There ought to ’a been minutes taken.  Yu can’t ‘ave no meetin’ without minutes.  When us comes to electin’ a chairman o’ the next meetin’, ’e won’t ’ave no minutes to read.

Sol Potter.  ’Twas only to putt down that I was elected chairman to elect a meetin’ to elect a chairman to preside over a meetin’ to pass a resolution dalin’ wi’ the curate.  That’s aisy set down, that is.

Freman. [Mollified] We’ll ’ave that zet down, then, while we’re electin’ the chairman o’ the next meetin’.

     [A silence. ]

Trustaford.  Well then, seein’ this is the praaper old meetin’ for carryin’ the resolution about the curate, I purpose Mr. Sol Potter take the chair.

Freman.  I purpose Mr. Trustaford.  I ‘aven’t a-got nothin’ against Sol Potter, but seein’ that he elected the meetin’ that’s to elect ’im, it might be said that ‘e was electin’ of himzelf in a manner of spakin’.  Us don’t want that said.

Morse. [Amid meditative grunts from the dumb-as-fishes] There’s some-at in that.  One o’ they tu purposals must be putt to the meetin’.

Freman.  Second must be putt virst, fur zure.

Trustaford.  I dunno as I wants to zet in that chair.  To hiss the curate, ’tis a ticklish sort of a job after that.  Vurst comes afore second, Will Freeman.

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Complete Project Gutenberg John Galsworthy Works from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.