News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-04-27
STEALING A SPEECH.
One of Sam Sticks Tricks Down
Among the Blue Noses.

| STEALING A SPEECH.
One of Sam Sticks Tricks Down
Among the Blue Noses.
Sam Slick used to tell with great
gusto how he stole a mans speech down
in Nova Scotia. There was to be 6
great temperance meetin', says Sam,
and lectar, and resolutions moved
and what not. Well there was a most
consulted goney in the same house
(tho' that's nothin' very strange neither,
seem Blue-nose is materially consulted
critter), and as he was to second the
first resolution, had spent evenin' artel
evenin' in writin' of his speech, and
mornin' arter mornin' in gettin' it by
heart. Well, the day the great meetin'
was to be, off he starts down to the
lower village, with two-horse wagon,
| to bring some of the young ladies to
hear his eloquence. Well, as soon as
1 seed him off, goes to his desk, takes
his speech, locks the door, and walks
up and down the room, readin' of il
over and over, like a school lesson, and
in about two or three hours had it all
by heart and that, that I couldn't re.
peat verbatim, havin' pretty loose
| tongue of my own, could give the
sense and meanin' of. But I had it in a
manner all pretty slick. Then puts
the speech back in its place, takes q
walk cut into the fields, to recite ii
aloud, where none could hear, and ]
succeeded most beautiful. He returned,
as l intended he should. before went
back to the house and when went
into the room, he was walkin' up and
down, q mutterin' over his speech and
when he stuck, lookin' at the writin'.
'Hullo,' sails /, are you back al
ready =? How's the ladies, and where are
they
"'Hush ? said he. Don't talk to
me. that's good fellow it puts me
out, and then have to cipher it over
again. The ladies are below
1" We'll, sails ], I'll go down and see
them ; and, to make long story short,
the meetin' was organized, the lecture
was read and the first resolut ton was
moved. mind that it was very SEN
sibie one, and passed unanimously. I
don't exactly recollect the words, but
its substance-'Resolve That it is the
opinion of this meeting that those who
drink nothing but water, will have no
liquor to buy I rose to second it ;
and there was great cheerin' and clap
pins of hand, and stampin' of feet for
was considerable popular among the
folks in them diggins. At last, silence
was obtained; and I commenced with
Horatio Mulgrave's speech, and de-
livered it word for word. Well, it warnt
bad speech for the time and place.
Considerable fowery-mixed with poet
ry to please the gals, and solemncolly
and fearful for the old folk sometimes
they cheered and then they cried.
AFTER had got on piece, Mulgrave
sprung up, half distracted with rage
and surprise and taking hold of me by
the coat. why, confound it, Slick, +"
sails he that's my speech. 1 wrote it
myself.
"'Pooh + sails ], don't be foolish.
"sWell, I never said he, sin all my
born days This beats the devil! What
Yankee trick 7
"He said this quite loud. So l
stopped short, and paused, and looked
round.
Gentleman and ladies, sails 7, Mr..
Mulgrave sails L am speakin' his mind,
and not my own and that it is his ora
ton, and not mine. It's strange our
minds should DO SO much alike for if
it is actilly the case, must be maxim a
very poor speech, I can tell you. So,
with your leave, I'll sit down.
"' No, no, sails they; $50 on, go on. ,
"Well, went on, and finished; and
when I had done, turned round, and
said out loud to him, Now, sir, you
say have spoke your mind?'
$50 you have, sails he. It's trick
"a Yankee trick 7
81 come pretty near increasin' the
size of the critters head for that, but I
bit in. sails I, Ladies' and Gentlemen,
is that fair to a stranger like me, that
could positively chaw him up, only he
don't like the taste of the coon p
No, no., sails they, it amt fair
well, sails I, IN tell you what is
fair, and that is turn and turn about.
You say spoke your mind, sir; now
you speak mine, when you move the
next resolution and see if it won't be
the best speech you ever made since
you was born Creation, how folks
larfed Now sails I, amovin' off, and
settin' down, take the floor
Well, he got up, and scratched his
head-'L Ladies and Gentlemen sails he,
'ahem that speech is my speech
made it and this is trick ;; and down
he sot.
swell, I jumped up, and sails I, if
his mouth has been picked of his speech,
thing l never heard tell on before, it
amt picked of his tongue, for that's safe
and sound but I'll move the resolution
for him, SO as to keep things a-stirrin';'
and [ gave them one of my ramblin' =,
funny sort of speeches, with capital
stories, that illustrated everything but
the resolution and it was received with
immense applause.