Quincy Adams Sawyer and Mason's Corner Folks: A Picture of New England Home LifePidgin, Charles Felton
General
Quincy Adams Sawyer and Mason's Corner Folks: A Picture of New England Home Life
Pidgin, Charles Felton
New England -- Fiction
Quincy Adams Sawyer in appearance and dress was a marked contrast to the
stout, hardy, and rugged young farmers of Eastborough. He had dark hair,
dark eyes, and a small black mustache curled at the ends. His face was
pallid, but there was a look of determination in the firmly set jaw,
resolute mouth, and sharp eye. He wore a dark suit with Prince Albert
coat. Upon one arm hung an overcoat of light-colored cloth. He wore
light-brown kid gloves and in one hand carried a light-colored Kossuth
hat.
As soon as the committee and their guest had taken their seats,
Professor Strout tapped upon his music stand with his baton and the
members of the Eastborough Singing Society arose to their feet with that
total disregard of uniformity and unanimity of motion that always
characterizes a body of undrilled performers. Each girl was obliged to
look at her own dress and that of her neighbor to see if they were all
right, while each fellow felt it absolutely necessary to shuffle his
feet, pull down his cuffs, pull up his collar, and arrange his necktie.
Despite the confusion and individual preparations the chorus took the
opening note promptly and sang the "Welcome to the Town Committee" with
a spirit and precision which well merited the applause it received. The
words were not printed on the programme, but they conveyed the idea that
the members of the singing class were very much obliged to the town
committee for hiring a singing-master and paying his salary. Also that
the members of the chorus had studied hard to learn to sing and would do
their best that evening as a return for the favors-bestowed upon them by
the town.
Professor Strout then advanced to the edge of the platform and called
the attention of the audience to the second number upon the programme
which read, "Address by Abraham Mason, Esq." Prof. Strout added that by
special request Deacon Mason's remarks would relate to the subject of
"Education." The Deacon drew a large red bandanna handkerchief from his
pocket, wiped the perspiration from his forehead, blew his nose
vigorously, and then advanced to the centre of the platform near the
music stand.
"I dote on eddikation," he began; "it makes the taxes high; I've lived
in this town man and boy more'n fifty year and I never saw them anythin'
but high." A general laugh greeted this remark. "But when I'm in town
meetin' I allus votes an aye to make our schools as good as those found
in neighborin' towns, and none of them are any too good. For my
political actions I'm proud to give my grounds, for I never cast a vote
that I was ashamed to give my reasons for." A burst of applause followed
this declaration.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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