| Title | The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists |
 |
|
| Page | 1070 |
|
|
| Chapter | -- |
|
|
| Text |
six o'clock, which allowed time for those interested to attend after leaving work. The hands sat on the benches or carpenter's stools, or reclined upon heaps of shavings. On a pair of tressels in the centre of the workshop stood a large oak coffin which Crass had just finished polishing. When all those who were expected to turn up had arrived, Payne, the foreman carpenter - the man who made the coffins - was voted to the chair on the proposition of Crass, seconded by Philpot, and then a solemn silence ensued, which was broken at last by the chairman, who, in a lengthy speech, explained the object of the meeting. Possibly with a laudable desire that there should be no mistake about it, he took the trouble to explain several times, going over the same ground and repeating the same words over and over again, whilst the audience waited |
|
|
|
|
