Page:Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.djvu/168

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists The Old Dear now put a penny in the slot of the polyphone, and started it playing. It was some unfamiliar tune, but when the semi-drunk painter heard it he rose unsteadily to his feet and began shuffling and dancing about, singing:

Ere! that's quite enough 'o that!' cried the landlord, roughly. 'We don't want that row 'ere.'

The Semi-Drunk stopped, and looking stupidly at the Old Dear, sank abashed on to the seat again.

'Well, we may as well sit as stand—for a few minutes,' remarked Crass, suiting the action to the word. The others followed his example.

At frequent intervals the bar was entered by fresh customers, most of them working men on their way home, who ordered and drank their pint or half pint of ale or porter and left at once. Bundy began reading the advertisement of the circus and menagerie, and a conversation ensued concerning the wonderful performances of the trained animals. The Old Dear said that some of them had as much sense as human beings, and the manner with which he made this statement implied that he thought it was a testimonial to the sagacity of the brutes. He further said that he had heard a rumour that one of the wild animals, a bear or something, had broken loose and was at present at large. For his own part he didn't believe it, and his hearers agreed that it was highly improbable. Nobody ever knew how these silly yarns got about.

Presently the Besotted Wretch got up, and taking the india rubber rings out of the net with a trembling hand, began throwing them one at a time at the hooks on the board. The rest of the company watched him with much interest, laughing when he made a very bad shot and applauding when he scored.

E's a bit 'orf to-night,' remarked Philpot aside to Easton, 'but as a rule 'e's a fair knock out at it. Throws a splendid ring!'

The Semi-Drunk regarded the proceedings of the Besotted Wretch with an expression of profound contempt.

'You can't play for nuts,' he said, scornfully. 156