Page:Australian Emigrant 1854.djvu/198

174 the lawyers. For myself," he said, turning round and laying his hand on Mr. Nailem's shoulder, "I think I have found to day one of the right sort, and there may be others. With your kind permission I will introduce to your notice our respected friend, who is more used to talking than I am; "but shouts arose—"we won't hear him—give us some more." "I propose, then," said Dodge, who found the attention of the populace too great for his convenience,—"I propose three cheers for our country, and," he added, on second thoughts, "with nine times nine afterwards." These were accordingly given, and when the hubbub had subsided, he continued, "This is a glorious country, gentlemen." And then he folded his arms as if waiting for some one to dispute the proposition. This resource failing, he proceeded, "True we have not a flag yet that we can call our own, (groans) but we have the happiness to live under the protection of one that will never fail us at a pinch, and one moreover that we are not called on to keep clean nor to darn when ragged, two plaguey expensive items in the expenditure of independent states. True, our revenue does not go in the right channels (groans.)—('I say' he said to Slinger, who stood by, 'where the devil does it go?' 'Where it should not, of course,' was the reply, 'none of it flows into your pocket nor mine').—There is no question about it whatever then gentlemen; our revenue is not expended as it should be; but as many of us don't contribute much towards it, we wont consider the subject too closely," and with such irrelevant and unconnected matter Dodge amused his auditory. During his speech he had refreshed himself so frequently by swallowing sundry glasses of liquor, which were eagerly proffered whenever a cheer from the mob afforded opportunity for a momentary pause, that the effects of the unusual libations began to tell upon him.