the ragged trousered philanthropists-第80章

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hey　had　roast　beef；　goose；　jam　tarts；　mince　pies；　sardines；　blancmange；　calves'　feet　jelly　and　one　pint　for　each　man　was　included　in　the　cost　of　the　dinner。　　In　the　middle　of　the　discussion；　they　noticed　that　most　of　the　others　were　holding　up　their　hands；　so　to　show　there　was　no　ill　feeling　they　held　up　theirs　also　and　then　the　chairman　declared　it　was　carried　unanimously。

Bundy　said　he　would　like　to　ask　the　chairman　to　read　out　the　resolution　which　had　just　been　passed；　as　he　had　not　caught　the　words。

The　chairman　replied　that　there　was　no　written　resolution。　　The　motion　was　just　to　express　the　feeling　of　this　meeting　as　to　whether　there　was　to　be　an　outing　or　not。

Bundy　said　he　was　only　asking　a　civil　question；　a　point　of　information：　all　he　wanted　to　know　was；　what　was　the　terms　of　the　resolution？　　Was　they　in　favour　of　the　Beano　or　not？

The　chairman　responded　that　the　meeting　was　unanimously　in　favour。　（Applause。）

Harlow　said　that　the　next　thing　to　be　done　was　to　decide　upon　the　date。　　Crass　suggested　the　last　Saturday　in　August。　　That　would　give　them　plenty　of　time　to　pay　in。

Sawkins　asked　whether　it　was　proposed　to　have　a　day　or　only　half　a　day。　　He　himself　was　in　favour　of　the　whole　day。　　It　would　only　mean　losing　a　morning's　work。　　It　was　hardly　worth　going　at　all　if　they　only　had　half　the　day。

The　Semi…drunk　remarked　that　he　had　just　thought　of　a　very　good　place　to　go　if　they　decided　to　have　a　change。　　Three　years　ago　he　was　working　for　Dauber　and　Botchit　and　they　went　to　‘The　First　In　and　the　Last　Out'　at　Bashford。　　It　was　a　very　small　place；　but　there　was　a　field　where　you　could　have　a　game　of　cricket　or　football；　and　the　dinner　was　A1　at　Lloyds。　　There　was　also　a　skittle　alley　attached　to　the　pub　and　no　charge　was　made　for　the　use　of　it。　　There　was　a　bit　of　a　river　there；　and　one　of　the　chaps　got　so　drunk　that　he　went　orf　his　onion　and　jumped　into　the　water；　and　when　they　got　him　out　the　village　policeman　locked　him　up；　and　the　next　day　he　was　took　before　the　beak　and　fined　two　pounds　or　a　month's　hard　labour　for　trying　to　commit　suicide。

Easton　pointed　out　that　there　was　another　way　to　look　at　it：　supposing　they　decided　to　have　the　Beano；　he　supposed　it　would　come　to　about　six　shillings　a　head。　　If　they　had　it　at　the　end　of　August　and　started　paying　in　now；　say　a　tanner　a　week；　they　would　have　plenty　of　time　to　make　up　the　amount；　but　supposing　the　work　fell　off　and　some　of　them　got　the　push？

Crass　said　that　in　that　case　a　man　could　either　have　his　money　back　or　he　could　leave　it；　and　continue　his　payments　even　if　he　were　working　for　some　other　firm；　the　fact　that　he　was　off　from　Rushton's　would　not　prevent　him　from　going　to　the　Beano。

Harlow　proposed　that　they　decide　to　go　to　the　Queen　Elizabeth　the　same　as　last　year；　and　that　they　have　half　a　day。

Philpot　said　that；　in　order　to　get　on　with　the　business；　he　would　second　the　resolution。

Bundy　suggested　…　as　an　amendment　…。　that　it　should　be　a　whole　day；　starting　from　the　Cricketers　at　nine　in　the　morning；　and　Sawkins　said　that；　in　order　to　get　on　with　the　business；　he　would　second　the　amendment。

One　of　the　new　hands　said　he　wished　to　move　another　amendment。　　He　proposed　to　strike　out　the　Queen　Elizabeth　and　substitute　the　Three　Loggerheads。

The　Chairman　…　after　a　pause　…　inquired　if　there　were　any　seconder　to　this；　and　the　Semi…drunk　said　that；　although　he　did　not　care　much　where　they　went；　still；　to　get　on　with　the　business；　he　would　second　the　amendment；　although　for　his　own　part　he　would　prefer　to　go　to　the　‘First　In　and　Last　Out'　at　Bashford。

The　new　hand　offered　to　withdraw　his　suggestion　re　the　Three　Loggerheads　in　favour　of　the　Semi…drunks　proposition；　but　the　latter　said　it　didn't　matter；　it　could　go　as　it　was。

As　it　was　getting　rather　late；　several　men　went　home；　and　cries　of　‘Put　the　question'　began　to　be　heard　on　all　sides；　the　chairman　accordingly　was　proceeding　to　put　Harlow's　proposition　when　the　new　hand　interrupted　him　by　pointing　out　that　it　was　his　duty　as　chairman　to　put　the　amendments　first。　　This　produced　another　long　discussion；　in　the　course　of　which　a　very　tall；　thin　man　who　had　a　harsh；　metallic　voice　gave　a　long　rambling　lecture　about　the　rules　of　order　and　the　conduct　of　public　meetings。　　He　spoke　very　slowly　and　deliberately；　using　very　long　words　and　dealing　with　the　subject　in　an　exhaustive　manner。　　A　resolution　was　a　resolution；　and　an　amendment　was　an　amendment；　then　there　was　what　was　called　an　amendment　to　an　amendment；　the　procedure　of　the　House　of　Commons　differed　very　materially　from　that　of　the　House　of　Lords　…　and　so　on。

This　man　kept　on　talking　for　about　ten　minutes；　and　might　have　continued　for　ten　hours　if　he　had　not　been　rudely　interrupted　by　Harlow；　who　said　that　it　seemed　to　him　that　they　were　likely　to　stay　there　all　night　if　they　went　on　like　they　were　going。　　He　wanted　his　tea；　and　he　would　also　like　to　get　a　few　hours'　sleep　before　having　to　resume　work　in　the　morning。　　He　was　getting　about　sick　of　all　this　talk。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　In　order　to　get　on　with　the　business；　he　would　withdraw　his　resolution　if　the　others　would　withdraw　their　amendments。　If　they　would　agree　to　do　this；　he　would　then　propose　another　resolution　which　…　if　carried　…　would　meet　all　the　requirements　of　the　case。　　（Applause。）

The　man　with　the　metallic　voice　observed　that　it　was　not　necessary　to　ask　the　consent　of　those　who　had　moved　amendments：　if　the　original　proposition　was　withdrawed；　all　the　amendments　fell　to　the　ground。

‘Last　year；'　observed　Crass；　‘when　we　was　goin'　out　of　the　room　after　we'd　finished　our　dinner　at　the　Queen　Elizabeth；　the　landlord　pointed　to　the　table　and　said；　〃There's　enough　left　over　for　you　all　to　'ave　another　lot。〃'　　（Cheers。）

Harlow　said　that　he　would　move　that　it　be　held　on　the　last　Saturday　in　August；　that　it　be　for　half　a　day；　starting　at　one　o'clock　so　that　they　could　work　up　till　twelve；　which　would　mean　that　they　would　only　have　to　lose　one　hour's　pay：　that　they　go　to　the　same　place　as　last　year　…　the　Queen　Elizabeth。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　That　the　same　committee　that　acted　last　year　…　Crass　and　Bundy　…　be　appointed　to　make　all　the　arrangements　and　collect　the　subscriptions。　　（Applause。）

The　tall　man　observed　that　this　was　what　was　called　a　compound　resolution；　and　was　proceeding　to　explain　further　when　the　chairman　exclaimed　that　it　did　not　matter　a　dam'　what　it　was　called　…　would　anyone　second　it？　　The　Semi…drunk　said　that　he　would　…　in　order　to　get　on　with　the　business。

Bundy　moved；　and　Sawkins　seconded；　as　an　amendment；　that　it　should　be　a　whole　day。

The　new　hand　moved　to　substitute　the　Loggerheads　for　the　Queen　Elizabeth。

Easton　proposed　to　substitute　Madame　Tussaud's　Waxworks　for　the　Queen　Elizabeth。　　He　said　he　moved　this　just　to　test　the　feeling　of　the　meeting。

Harlow　pointed　out　that　it　would　cost　at　least　a　pound　a　head　to　defray　the　expenses　of　such　a　trip。　　The　railway　fares；　tram　fares　in　London；　meals　…　for　it　would　be　necessary　to　have　a　whole　day　…　and　other　incidental　expenses；　to　say　nothing　of　the　loss　of　wages。　　It　would　not　be　possible　for　any　of　them　to　save　the　necessary　amount　during　the　next　four　months。　　（Hear；　hear。）

Philpot　repeated　his　warning　as　to　the　danger　of　visiting　Madame　Tussaud's。　　He　was　certain　that　if　she　once　got　them　in　there　she　would　never　let　them　out　again。　　He　had　no　desire　to　pass　the　rest　of　his　life　as　an　image　in　a　museum。

One　of　the　new　hands　…　a　man　with　a　red　tie　…　said　that　they　would　look　well；　after　having　been　soaked　for　a　month　or　two　in　petrifying　liquid；　chained　up　in　the　Chamber　of　Horrors　with　labels　round　their　necks　…　‘Specimens　of　Liberal　and　Conservative　upholders　of　the　Capitalist　System；　20　century'。

Crass　protested　against　the　introduction　of　politics　into　that　meeting。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　The　remarks　of　the　last　speakers　were　most　uncalled…for。

Easton　said　that　he　would　withdraw　his　amendment。

Acting　under　the　directions　of　the　man　with　the　metallic　voice；　the　chairman　now　proceeded　to　put　the　amendment　to　the　vote。　　Bundy's　proposal　that　it　should　be　a　whole　day　was　defeated；　only　himself；　Sawkins　and　the　Semi…drunk　being　in　favour。　　The　motion　to　substitute　the　Loggerheads　for　the　Queen　Elizabeth　was　also　defeated；　and　the　compound　resolution　proposed　by　Harlow　was　then　carried　nem。　con。

Philpot　now　proposed　a　hearty　vote　of　thanks　to　the　chairman　for　the　very　able　manner　in　which　he　had　conducted　the　meeting。　　When　this　had　been　unanimously　agreed　to；　the　Semi…drunk　moved　a　similar　tribute　of　gratitude　to　Crass　for　his　services　to　the　cause　and　the　meeting　dispersed。



Chapter　42

June


During　the　early　part　of　May　the　weather　was　exceptionally　bad；　with　bitterly　cold　winds。　　Rain　fell　nearly　every　day；　covering　the　roads　with　a　slush　that　penetrated　the　rotten　leather　of　the　cheap　or　second…hand　boots　worn　by　the　workmen。　　This　weather　had　the　effect　of　stopping　nearly　all　outside　work；　and　also　caused　a　lot　of　illness；　for　those　who　were　so　fortunate　as　to　have　inside　jobs　frequently　got　wet　through　on　their　way　to　work　in　the　morning　and　had　to　work　all　day　in　damp　clothing；　and　with　their　boots　saturated　with　water。　　It　was　also　a　source　of　trouble　to　those　of　the　men　who　had　allotments；　because　if　it　had　been　fine　they　would　have　been　able　to　do　something　to　their　gardens　while　they　were　out　of　work。

Newman　had　not　succeeded　in　getting　a　job　at　the　trade　since　he　came　out　of　prison；　but　he　tried　to　make　a　little　money　by　hawking　bananas。　Philpot　…　when　he　was　at　work　…　used　often　to　buy　a　tanner's　or　a　bob's　worth　from　him　and　give　them　to　Mrs　Linden's　children。　　On　Saturdays　Old　Joe　used　to　waylay　these　children　and　buy　them　bags　of　cakes　at　the　bakers。　　One　week　when　he　knew　that　Mrs　Linden　had　not　had　much　work　to　do；　he　devised　a　very　cunning　scheme　to　help　her。　　He　had　been　working　with　Slyme；　who　was　papering　a　large　boarded　ceiling　in　a　shop。　　It　had　to　be　covered　with　unbleached　calico　before　it　could　be　papered　and　when　the　work　was　done　there　were　a　number　of　narrow　pieces　of　calico　left　over。　　These　he　collected　and　tore　into　strips　about　six　inches　wide　which　he　took　round　to　Mrs　Linden；　and　asked　her　to　sew　them　together；　end　to　end；　so　as　to　make　one　long　strip：　then　this　long　strip　had　to　be　cut　into　four　pieces　of　equal　length　and　the　edges　sewn　together　in　such　a　manner　that　it　would　form　a　long　tube。　　Philpot　told　her　that　it　was　required　for　some　work　that　Rushton's　were　doing；　and　said　he　had　undertaken　to　get　the　sewing　done。　　The　firm　would　have　to　pay　for　it；　so　she　could　charge　a　good　price。

‘You　see；'　he　said　with　a　wink；　‘this　is　one　of　those　jobs　where　we　gets　a　chance　to　get　some　of　our　own　back。'

Mary　thought　it　was　rather　a　strange　sort　of　job；　but　she　did　as　Philpot　directed　and　when　he　came　for　the　stuff　and　asked　how　much　it　was　she　said　threepence：　it　had　only　taken　about　half　an　hour。　Philpot　ridiculed　this：　it　was　not　nearly　enough。　　THEY　were　not　supposed　to　know　how　long　it　took：　it　ought　to　be　a　bob　at　the　very　least。　　So；　after　some　hesitation　she　made　out　a　bill　for　that　amount　on　a　half…sheet　of　note…paper。　　He　brought　her　the　money　the　next　Saturday　afternoon　and　went　off　chuckling　to　himself　over　the　success