498 MEETING OF THE DELEGATES. 



plied his ear to the keyhole before the old shoemaker rose, and spake 

 in the following manner : " Gentlemen, I rise to propose a vote of 

 thanks to that young man whom occasion has just called to the door. 

 I say a vote of thanks for that eloquent, sensible, good sound speech 

 which he has just delivered. What need we fear while we have a 

 man like that amongst us ? Those who are of my opinion will hold 

 up their hands." This was done unanimously ; his health was also 

 proposed, and drank with three times three. The shouting had 

 scarcely ceased when Dick re-entered, and was minutely informed of 

 what had occurred during his absence. Two or three hems, and he 

 was again on his legs, and returning thanks in the following words : 

 " Gentlemen, I feel more than grateful "for the high honour, which 

 you have this evening conferred upon me ; and feel very sorry that 

 poor words are alone the only visible medium by which I can express 

 my unbounded, illimitable gratitude. Believe me, gentlemen, when 

 I say that this is the proudest moment of my existence , and if I had 

 as many hearts as would fill the dark-resounding caverns of wave- 

 barking Charybdis and Scylla, I would devote them all to my country. 

 Gentlemen, Liberty has mounted her blooming chariot, and is now 

 rattling through the tyrant-tottering earth, while the loud prancing 

 of her lightning-breathing steeds is heard, as they leap thundering 

 from realm to realm. Gentlemen, you will ever find me at my post, 

 and when the good of my country requires this poor life, thanks to 

 that patriot feeling which in me is hereditary, I am ready to resign it 

 on the bleeding altar of my country's wrongs !" Dick again sat 

 down, amid the tumultuous plaudits of the open-mouthed peasantry. 

 The old shoemaker, according to agreement, next absented himself; 

 but Dick was too busy drinking with every one by whom he was in- 

 vited, to think of proposing a vote of thanks to old Ned, who returned, 

 looking any thing but pleasant. The woodman next arose, and as 

 chairman, said " Before I leave this here chair, I wish to say some 

 two, three, wods. Now you mun know as wot I'm turned of 70, and 

 have seen a good deal in my time ; I can remember when bread was 

 fourteen-pence a stone, and good beef and mutton fourpence a pund. 

 Now, at that time o' day, when my old dame went to market, she 

 used to teck her ten or a dozen shilling, and buy us grub for all the 

 week, and hoppen bring home a new hat, or pair o' shoes for one of 

 our lads, or some flannel to mend her petticoat ; now if she were to 

 go to th' market next week, and find provisions that price again, why 

 she would come home, and say, l Lithee, my lad, bread's dropped a 

 shilling i' th' stone, and meat threepence a pund ; I've bought mysell 

 a bit o' print to make some aprons on, and a bit of calico to mend thy 

 old shirts wiY Now I say wot sich things would be pleasant. I 

 can recollect how at a Christmas one used to hev one's friends about 

 one, to the pig's funeral, as we called it ; but now one's forced to sell 

 th' pig to pay for one's shoes and rent wi ; and we've niver no pork 

 pies and black puddings at a Christmas. T'other day my youngest 

 daughter Sail was married ; she's turned o' thirty-five, and she comes 

 to me ( Feather/ says she, ' what are you going to give me to th' 

 housekeeping/ ' My lass,' says I, ' I've got nought to gie' thee but 

 my blessing an' advice, and I hope as if to's as many childer as thy 



