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Yes, Dowley was a good deal wilted, and shrunk-up and collapsed; he had the aspect of a bladder-balloon that's been stepped on by a cow. However, I made a dead set at him, and before the first third of the dinner was reached, I had him happy again. It was easy to do in a country of ranks and castes.
Well, I was stunned; partly with this unlooked-for stupidity on his part, and partly because his fellows so manifestly sided with him and were of his mind if you might call it mind. My position was simple enough, plain enough; how could it ever be simplified more? However, I must try: "Why, look here, brother Dowley, don't you see? Your wages are merely higher than ours in name, not in fact."
Well, I was stunned; partly with this unlooked-for stupidity on his part, and partly because his fellows so manifestly sided with him and were of his mind if you might call it mind. My position was simple enough, plain enough; how could it ever be simplified more? However, I must try: "Why, look here, brother Dowley, don't you see? Your wages are merely higher than ours in name, not in fact."
And he can leave town whenever he wants to, if the wages don't suit him! and they can't put him in the pillory for it." "Perdition catch such an age!" shouted Dowley, in strong indignation. "An age of dogs, an age barren of reverence for superiors and respect for authority! The pillory " "Oh, wait, brother; say no good word for that institution. I think the pillory ought to be abolished."
He got no new clothing during his apprenticeship, but on his graduation day his master tricked him out in spang-new tow-linens and made him feel unspeakably rich and fine. "I remember me of that day!" the wheelwright sang out, with enthusiasm. "And I likewise!" cried the mason. "I would not believe they were thine own; in faith I could not." "Nor other!" shouted Dowley, with sparkling eyes.
Before long, Dowley and I were doing all the talking, the others hungrily listening. Dowley warmed to his work, snuffed an advantage in the air, and began to put questions which he considered pretty awkward ones for me, and they did have something of that look: "In your country, brother, what is the wage of a master bailiff, master hind, carter, shepherd, swineherd?"
For instance, if I do a thing which ought to deliver me to the stocks, and you know I did it and yet keep still and don't report me, you will get the stocks if anybody informs on you." "Ah, but that would serve you but right," said Dowley, "for you must inform. So saith the law." The others coincided. "Well, all right, let it go, since you vote me down.
I had just slipped up on poor smiling and complacent Dowley so nice and easy and softly, that he never suspected anything was going to happen till the blow came crashing down and knocked him all to rags. A fine effect. In fact, as fine as any I ever produced, with so little time to work it up in. But I saw in a moment that I had overdone the thing a little.
He had taken me there ostensibly to let me see the big establishment which bought so much of his charcoal, but really to let me see what easy and almost familiar terms he was on with this great man. Dowley and I fraternized at once; I had had just such picked men, splendid fellows, under me in the Colt Arms Factory.
Now it seems to me unfair, Dowley, and a deadly peril to all of us, that because you thoughtlessly confessed, a while ago, that within a week you have paid a cent and fifteen mil " Oh, I tell you it was a smasher! You ought to have seen them to go to pieces, the whole gang.
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