He quailed. His head sunk on his breast. He knew, tight as he had always
been, there wuz a height of tightness he had never scaled. He knew he
couldn't show off at that Equinomical Counsel by the side of them
instances I had brung up, and to deepen the impression I had made, which
is always the effort of the great oriter, I resoomed:
"Think of how they keep up their econimy of justice, and right, and
common sense, so afraid to use a speck of 'em, especially the common
sense. Think of how they refused to let wimmen set down meekly in a
humble pew, and say 'Yea' in a still small voice as a delegate, so
'fraid that it wuz outstrippin' wimmen's proper spear--when these very
ministers have been proud to open their very biggest meetin'-housen to
wimmen, and let 'em teach 'em to be eloquent--let wimmen speak words of
help and wisdom from their highest pulpits.
"Think of this instance of their equinomical doin's," sez I, "and
tremble. And," sez I, still more impressively and eloquently, "what is
pumpkins by the side of that?"
His head sunk down lower, and lower. He wuz dumbfoundered to think he
had been outdone in his most vital parts, his most tightest ways. He
felt truly that even if they would listen to his equinomical counsels,
they didn't need 'em.
He looked pitiful and meek, and sot demute for a couple of minutes. I
see that I had convinced him about the Equinomical Counsel; he see that
it wouldn't do, and he wouldn't make no more show than a underlin'.
But anon, or about that time, he spoke out in pitiful axents--
"Samantha, if I can't show off any at the Equinomical Counsel, I'd love
to see them male law-makers a-settin' in the Capitol at Washington,
D.C. I'd love to mingle with 'em, Samantha. You know, and I know, too,
that I am one of 'em. Wuzn't I chose arbitrator in Seth Meezik's quarrel
with his father-in-law? Hain't I sot on juries in the past, and hain't I
liable to set?
"I want to see them male law-makers, Samantha. I want to be intimate
with 'em."
I almost trembled. I can withstand my pardner's angry or excited moods,
but here I see pleadin' and longin'; I see I had a hard job in front of
me. I hate to dissapint him. I hate to, like a dog. But duty nerved me,
and I sez--
"Josiah, less talk it over before you decide to go. Less bring up some
of the laws them males have made, or allow to go on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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