Adventure stories; City and town life -- Fiction; Staffordshire (England) -- Fiction
Councillor Barlow always knew his mind, and was never afraid to let
other people share that knowledge.
"Yes," he said.
"Then I will see that you have the transfer free."
"But what about York?"
"I have settled with York provisionally," said Denry. "That is my
affair. I have returned from York to-day. Leave all that to me. This
town has had many benefactors far more important than myself. But I
shall be able to claim this originality: I ’m the first to make a
present of a live man to the town. Gentlemen—Mr. Mayor—I venture to call
for three cheers for the greatest centre forward in England, our
fellow-townsman."
The scene, as the _Signal_ said, was unique.
And at the Sports Club and the other clubs afterwards men said to each
other: "No one but him would have thought of bringing Callear over
specially and showing him on the platform.... That’s cost him above
twopence, that has!"
Two days later a letter appeared in the _Signal_ (signed "Fiat
Justitia") suggesting that Denry, as some reward for his public spirit,
ought to be the next mayor of Bursley, in place of Alderman Bloor
deceased. The letter urged that he would make an admirable mayor, the
sort of mayor the old town wanted in order to wake it up. And also it
pointed out that Denry would be the youngest mayor that Bursley had ever
had, and probably the youngest mayor in England that year. The
sentiment in the last idea appealed to the town. The town decided that
it would positively _like_ to have the youngest mayor it had ever had,
and probably the youngest mayor in England that year. The _Signal_
printed dozens of letters on the subject. When the Council met, more
informally than formally, to choose a chief magistrate in place of the
dead alderman, several councillors urged that what Bursley wanted was a
young and _popular_ mayor. And in fine Councillor Barlow was shelved for
a year. On the choice being published the entire town said: "Now we
_shall_ have a mayoralty—and don’t you forget it!"
And Denry said to Nellie:
"You ’ll be mayoress to the youngest mayor, etc., my child. And it’s
cost me, including hotel and travelling expenses, eight hundred and
eleven pounds six and sevenpence."
III
The rightness of the Council in selecting Denry as mayor was confirmed
in a singular manner by the behaviour of the football and of Callear at
the opening match of the season.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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