Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-03-10
: CHAPTER XVII.

The British workman" of whom we
hear so much, but whom we see-at
work-so seldom, is by no means to be
confounded with that honest, decent,
deserving citizen, the British working
man. When the latter is not at his
work he is to be found at home Nor
to seek the former need we go far.
Hyde park on Sunday afternoon and
the public-house during the rest of the
week appear to be his permanent adj
dresses. OF the British working man
there was no sign at this meeting, but
that that amiable representative of
sweet reasonableness, the long-suffer-
ing, toil-eXhausted, tyrant-oppressed
British workman, was present could
be both seen and smelt.
The entrance of the chairman, the
strike committee, and the delegates
was hailed with tumultuous applause,
which rose to a frenzy when, at n
sign from Number Two, the care-taker
OF the hall pulled a string that com
municated with what looked like a
bundle of dirty linen that was screwed
up close to the roof over the chair
mans head, but when loosened re-
solved itself into the respective flags
of Germany and England intertwined.
Again and again the building re-
echoed with patriotic cheers, varied by
Rule, Britannia" and the inspiring
strains of realistic limitations of a
German band playing slightly out OF
tune, this last being no doubt intend
ed as a delicate compliment to the
great nation which supplies the soul
less Englishman with music, and on
this occasion, and for one night only"
as they put it in the theatrical profess
sion, had supplied him also with
money.
Then the serious business of the
evening commenced.
Seldom since our race was Gre
ated,' said the chairman, "had the
inhabitants of this planet gathered to-
gether on an occasion which marked
so great an epoch in the history of
mankind and did such honor to the
human heart" (Vociferous cheers and
cries of Good old heartily Person.
ally he was proud to think that he
had lived to see this day-this glorious
day, this ver-to-be-forgotten day
when two great nations had combined
to unfurl the fiag of the brotherhood
of man, and had planted it on the
watchtower of civilization for all the
world to see" Ca voice: Never
mind the flag, old chap. Have you got
the money there? That's what we
want to see.")
Yes" responded the chairman,
with an indulgent smile, as if saying
to himself, with Pecksniffian phil |
osophy: Let us humor these good |
creatures, these dear creatures. 1t is
natural that they should wish to as
sure themselves, by a sight of the |
gift that has come from Germany,
that their dream of brotherhood is in
deed realized"
Eyes, the money is here safe |
enough, my friends" he said. 1T is in |
that satchel which is now held by my |
honored co-laborer and colleague, Mr.. |
Richardson Hall, and which he will |
soon have the honor of presenting on |
behalf Of the people of Germany, and |
| of accepting on behalf of the people |
of England"
This statement was followed by a |
scene of the widest enthusiasm and |
uproar, each member of the audience |
expressing his approval in his own
way. When order, or something like |
order, was restored, other speakers
followed the chairman, some exulting
in rapidly approaching millennium.
some speaking less inhatedly, and some
with sound common sense, but all
more or less pointing to the fact that
the combination of the working classes
OF two great nations was an assurance
that the day was not far distant when
the working men of all nations would
follow the splendid example which lad
been set by the working men of Ger
many in coming to the rescue of their
oppressed fellow workers in England.
AS Number Two was now on his
legs, and the moment for turning off
the lights would soon be arriving. |
edged my way out and watched the
rest of the performance through the
couple of tiny oval-shaped windows.
which were set, like pair of eye
glasses shining out from an express
Sionless countenance, high up on the
face of the swing doors. l saw him
hand over the satchel to the chair
man, who worked up his audience to
state approaching delirium by open
ng it and waving bundle of crisp
bank notes over his head. Next he
fist in, and bringing up
handful of gold, he let the yellow
iiscs slide back again--a cascade of
shining coins-into the bag, which he
'losed with a snap and replaced upon
he table. Then Number Two gave the
ignal, and in another instant L had
lone my part and turned off the lights
A friend who was present told me