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After mature consideration we had decided to unleash the Birdsburg contingent on the old boy ten at a time. Jeeves brought his theatre pal round to see us, and we arranged the whole thing with him. A very decent chappie, but rather inclined to collar the conversation and turn it in the direction of his home-town's new water-supply system.
Then we parted with what I believe are called mutual expressions of goodwill, the Birdsburg chappie extending a cordial invitation to us all to pop out some day and take a look at the new water-supply system, for which we thanked him. Next day the deputation rolled in. The first shift consisted of the cove we had met and nine others almost exactly like him in every respect.
I had observed that he was wearing a somewhat ornate decoration in his buttonhole, sir a large blue button with the words 'Boost for Birdsburg' upon it in red letters, scarcely a judicious addition to a gentleman's evening costume. To my surprise I noticed that the auditorium was full of persons similarly decorated.
Eighty-seven gentlemen from Birdsburg, sir." I sat up in bed and spilt the tea. "Birdsburg?" "Birdsburg, Missouri, sir." "How did you get them?" "I happened last night, sir, as you had intimated that you would be absent from home, to attend a theatrical performance, and entered into conversation between the acts with the occupant of the adjoining seat.
The old boy seemed a bit rattled. "I have never been to Birdsburg." The chappie seemed pained. "You should pay it a visit," he said. "The most rapidly-growing city in the country. Boost for Birdsburg!" "Boost for Birdsburg!" said the other chappies reverently. The chappie who had been brooding suddenly gave tongue. "Say!"
Bickersteth that eighty-seven citizens of Birdsburg should have the privilege of meeting and shaking hands with you for a financial consideration mutually arranged, and what my friend Simms here means and I'm with him is that we have only Mr. Bickersteth's word for it and he is a stranger to us that you are the Duke of Chiswick at all." Old Chiswick gulped.
They all looked deuced keen and businesslike, as if from youth up they had been working in the office and catching the boss's eye and what-not. They shook hands with the old boy with a good deal of apparent satisfaction all except one chappie, who seemed to be brooding about something and then they stood off and became chatty. "What message have you for Birdsburg, Duke?" asked our pal.
I ventured to inquire the explanation, and was informed that these gentlemen, forming a party of eighty-seven, are a convention from a town of the name if Birdsburg, in the State of Missouri. Their visit, I gathered, was purely of a social and pleasurable nature, and my informant spoke at some length of the entertainments arranged for their stay in the city.
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