Adventures of the Ojibbeway and Ioway Indians in England, France, and Belgium; Vol. 1 (of 2): being Notes of Eight Years' Travels and Residence in Europe with his North American Indian CollectionCatlin, George
History
Adventures of the Ojibbeway and Ioway Indians in England, France, and Belgium; Vol. 1 (of 2): being Notes of Eight Years' Travels and Residence in Europe with his North American Indian Collection
Catlin, George
England -- Description and travel; France -- Description and travel; Indians of North America
"So I did iss im, Sir, hand I'll iss again, hif I choose----ands hoff!
hif you please!" "You must go out, Sir." "Hout, Sir! [in a tremendous
voice.] I'll hax this haudience hif I am to go hout, or whether they
would prefer to ear the hobservations I hintend to make." There was a
general uproar here for a few moments, and the friends of the little
man seemed to predominate as they were gathering around him, and the
cry of "Hands off!" freed him from the difficulties with which he had
been beset, and encouraged him to demand an audience for a moment,
which was carried by acclamation all around the room. By stepping on to
the end of a bench near by, he become conspicuous above the heads of
the audience, and continued:--
"Ladies hand Gentlemen, I opes I ave your haprobation?" (Shouts of
approbation from all parts of the room; the Indians seated on the
platform, and Mr. Rankin allowing the little working gentleman to
proceed.)
"My friends, I am a poor and to speak, and I did not hanticipate an
event hov this sort. I came ere, like the rest of you, an ard-working
man, to spend my shilling, hand for wot? To be umbugged, gentlemen?
(Great applause.) To be oaxed, gentlemen? I calls it an impudent
oax! I olds in my and the adwertisement of that gentleman haxing us
to pay our shillings to see the bride of the Hindian wot was married
yesterday; and we are now told that she is not to be ere, and that
this is ol nothink.--I say it is _somethink_, gentlemen. (Great
applause.) Wen it was said that this couldn't be elped, I issed im,
and ee _hought_ to be issed, for I saw we was oaxed: I was then
dragged by the andkerchief in a wiolent manner, but I hescaped unurt,
and I am thankful that my woice can now be eard.
"Hif this gentleman is really Mr. Rankin, or hif ee is not, its hol
the same--wot's the hods? he as inwited us ere, to inale the ot
hatmosphere of the Hegyptian All, to see the 'beautiful bride,' oom
ee as been hinstrumental in leading up to the halter of Ymen, after
making a great ubbub about it; and I esitate not to pronounce it
an underanded business, that umbles a man in my hestimation, and I
think it would ave been better for im to ave ushed up the wole think
holtogether. (Applause.)
"Gentlemen, I am appy to see that I ave your haprobation. Wen I
look around me, I see that you are all working men like myself, and
able to hunderstand me. You all know it's werry ard to be oaxed out
of our shillings--wen prowisions is igh--wen work is scarce--wen
we ave little to heat, and hobliged to lie hidle." (Applause, and
Hear, hear.) A voice. "Mr. Rankin! Mr. Rankin!" A hundred voices!
"The bride! the bride!--Turn him out!--Bagh!--The Indians! the
Indians!--The workee! hear him out!--Mr. Rankin!--The Indians! the
Indians! Police! the police!--Turn him out!--The bride! the bride!
the bride! the bride!" &c. &c.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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