Page:Backblock Ballads and Later Verses (C.J. Dennis, 1918).djvu/117

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I saw our man was getting dazed, and sort of hypnotized, And they oughter pulled the agent up right there, as I advised. "See here—" Bill started, husky; but the agent came again, And talked right on for four hours good—from six o'clock to ten.

Then Bill began to crumple up, and weaken at the knees, When all at once he ups and shouts, "Here, give a bloke a breeze! Just take a pull for half a tick and let me have the floor, And I'll take out a policy," The agent said no more.

The Silent Member swallowed hard, then coughed and cleared his throat, But not a single word would come—no; not a blessed note. His face looked something dreadful—such a look of pained dismay; Then he gave us one pathetic glance, and turned, and walked away.

He's hardly spoken since that day—not more than "Yes" or "No." We miss his voice a good bit, too; the town seems rather slow. He was called "The Silent Member" just sarcastic, I'll allow; But since that agent handled him it sort o' fits him now.