Dooley, Mr. (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Irish Americans -- Fiction
"No, sir, if I've got to be sick, give me th' ordhn'ry dacencies
iv poverty. I don't want anny man to know anny more about me thin
he can larn fr'm th' handiwork iv Marks, th' tailor, an' Schmitt,
th' shoemaker, an' fr'm th' deceitful expression iv me face. If
I have a bad heart, let him know it be me eyes. On me vest is
written: 'Thus far an' no farther.' They'se manny a man on intimate
terms with th' King iv England to-day that don't know anny more
about me thin that I'm broadcloth on Sundah an' serge on week days.
An' I don't intind they shall. I hide behind th' privileges iv
me position an' say: 'Fellow-citizens, docks an' journalists, I
cannot inthrajooce ye to th' Inner Man. He's a reecloose an'
avarse to s'ciety. He's modest an' shy an' objects to callers.
Ye can guess what kind iv man I am but I wudden't have ye know.'
An' I can do that as long as I stay poor."
"I'm glad I'm poor," said Mr. Hennessy.
"It gives ye less to talk about but more to think about," said Mr.
Dooley.
The Fighting Word
"That man Bailey iv Texas f'r me ivry time," said Mr. Dooley.
"What's he been doin'?" asked Mr. Hennessy.
"He done me frind Biv'ridge iv Injyanny," said Mr. Dooley. "An'
I'm f'r him f'r leader iv th' party. He's wan iv th' best two-handed
orators in th' sinit or annywhere. He has a wondherful left an'
his repartee with th' right is said to be very stingin'. He's
inthrajooced th' sthrangle holt be means iv which th' debate can
be suddenly cut off. He's me ideel leader.
"I want a leader who's got a good grip on public affairs an' men,
who can take hold iv anny question or anny raypublican an' choke
it or him till they're black in th' face. Bailey's th' boy. I
followed Tillman f'r awhile, but he's gone back. He belongs to
th' ol' school iv parlymintaryans, th' same that Jawn L. Sullivan
belongs to. He's clever f'r an old 'un an' I'd be willin' to back
him again anny raypublican in New England at catch-weights. His
reply to Sinitor McLaurin was said to be wan iv th' quickest iver
heerd since th' days iv Dan'l Webster. It laid open th' scalp.
But they tell me Tillman's speeches is not what Hogan calls
impromptchu. He rehearses thim ivry mornin' with a punchin'-bag.
Bailey is more iv a nachral debater. No holds barred with him.
Hand or fut, 'tis all th' same.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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