United States or Togo ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
I have heard of farmers to whom pay-night was a sore trial; one such was frequently known to mount his horse and gallop away just before his men appeared: how he settled eventually I do not know.
Kester was an old bachelor and reputed to have stockings full of coin, concerning which his master cracked a joke with him every pay-night: not a new unseasoned joke, but a good old one, that had been tried many times before and had worn well.
"Very well. Now, Marian, remember nothing about HIM if I get the place. I don't wish to bring his name down to the dirt." Marian, who was really a trustworthy girl though of coarser grain than Tess, promised anything she asked. "This is pay-night," she said, "and if you were to come with me you would know at once. I be real sorry that you are not happy; but 'tis because he's away, I know.
In a minute or two a heavy footstep descended the stairs, and Biffen re-entered the room. 'Now that's a good, honest fellow, he said, in an amused tone. 'It's my pay-night, but he didn't like to fork out money before you. A very unusual delicacy in a man of that standing. He pays me sixpence for an hour's lesson; that brings me two shillings a week.
We express it as our opinion that the officers of some of these battalions must be a poor lot. From this it suddenly comes home to us that our officers are a good lot, and we find ourselves taking a queer pride in our company commander's homely strictures and severe sentences the morning after pay-night. Here is another step in the quickening life of the regiment.
It was, moreover, the pay-night for a Providence club which Felix had established for any, either men or women, who chose to contribute to it. There was a short and simple lecture given first; and afterwards the club-books were brought out, and a committee of working men received the weekly subscriptions, and attended to the affairs of the little club.
"He's not a good friend or companion for any one, I should think," said the captain. "He's no friend of mine," answered Jacob; "he's too fond of the drink. And yet he's called to be a sober man by many, 'cos he brings some of his wage home on the pay-night. Yet I've heard him say myself how he's often spent a sovereign in drink between Saturday night and Monday morning."
"You kinda shoved him into that out-of-bounds order for th’ Jacks, didn’t you now?" Nye pushed his hat to the back of his head and lit a cigarillo. "Muller and most of the boys can be counted on not to cause any more than the normal pay-night disturbances. But there’re some.... What did happen here today, Kirby?" Drew told it straight and flat in as few words as possible.
The night before was pay-night, and he was always expected to give in his share towards the home expenses, and now here was his money all gone. What could he do? I took him around the room and pointed out the hard cases there, wretched, miserable specimens of men, and asked him if he wanted to be like them, as he surely would if he went on in the course he was starting. He said, "Indeed I don't!"
"They must have heard us," said Mitchell; "and she's slipped out under the tent at the back, and through the fence into the scrub." Mitchell's respect for Alf increased visibly. But we began to hear ominous whispers from the young married couples, and next Saturday night, which was pay-night, we decided to see it through. We did not care to speak to Alf until we were sure.
Word Of The Day