Seeing the ElephantBaker, George M. (George Melville)
General
Seeing the Elephant
Baker, George M. (George Melville)
American drama -- 19th century
_Pat._ O, blarney! It’s an ondacent man ye are, by me sowl! Wasn’t I
sittin’ on my own doorstep last night, a smokin’ my pipe genteelly, wid
de childers innercently amusin’ theirselves a throwin’ brickbats at
one another, an’ Biddy a washin’ in the yard (as beautiful a picture
of domestic felicity as ye don’t often say), when an oogly black snout
kim over the fence, an’, afore ye could spake, away wint the fence, an’
away wint Biddy into the tub, an’ the childers into the pig-pen, an’
mesilf ilevated to the top of the woodshed by that same oogly black
baste!
_Harry._ Ah, the elephant on another frolic!
_Pat._ Frolic--is it? Bedad, it must be paid for, ony how. An’ so,
owld gint, I’ll jist throuble yez for the damages--to mesilf, a broken
constitution, Biddy, a wake’s washin’ intirely spoiled, and the
childers, bliss their dirthy faces! for a scare, an’ the fright to the
pig, an’ the broken fence. Come down, owld gint. Them as jig must pay
the piper.
_Bias._ Das a fac’, das a fac’. Down wid de dust, ole gint, for de dust
dat ar bullephant kicked up.
_Silas._ Never! Not a cent! Get out of my house! You’re a pair of
knaves. There is no elephant about here. It’s all a lie. I won’t be
swindled. Get out, I say!
_Pat._ Knave! Look to yersilf, owld gint. It’s not dacent for the likes
of yez to call names. A lie? Troth, I’ll jist bring Biddy and the
childer to tistify to the truth--so I will.
_Silas._ Shut up! Clear out! If you want damages, you can have them.
I’m getting my dander up, and shall sartinly damage both of yer.
_Bias._ Don’t you do it, don’t you do it. De law will fix you, old gent.
_Pat._ Begorra, I’ll spind me intire fortune, but I’ll have justice.
_Silas._ Are you going?
_Pat._ To a lawyer, straight. I blush for yez, owld gint, I blush for
yez.
[_Exit, L._
_Bias._ Dat ar wagon, and dat ar hoss, and dem ar goods, and de ole
lady must be repaired. So de law will tell yez, Massa Somebody. Das a
fac’, das a fac’.
[_Exit, L._
_Harry._ This looks like a serious business, Mr. Somerby.
_Silas._ Confound it, so it does! What can I do? Must I pay all these
damages?
_Harry._ I see no way for you to escape.
_Silas._ What a fool I have been! For a few hours’ fun I’ve got myself
into this scrape. Why, ’twill ruin me. I can never raise the money.
_Harry._ O, yes, you can, Mr. Somerby. I have plenty. You’d better
settle this matter at once, and draw on me freely for money.
_Silas._ Draw on you? What right have I to do that?
_Harry._ Give your consent to my marriage with Sally, and I shall
consider you have the right. More, I will hunt up these claims, and
settle them at once.
_Silas._ Will you? You’re a splendid fellow! Help me out, if you can;
and, if I can get rid of that elephant--
_Harry._ On one condition I will take him off your hands.
_Silas._ Take him off my hands? Name your condition.
_Harry._ That you will give me your solemn promise never to touch
liquor again.
_Silas._ What! Give up my freedom?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account