Those naughty boys, she sobbed, have thrown the dirt all over me, and
called me a little raga--raga--
They called her a little 'blue' ragamuffin, father, said Harry, who
ran in looking very angry; but I have given it to them; they won't
insult my sister again. I have given them a thrashing they will
remember; a set of cowardly, rascally 'orange' blackguards.
Jerry kissed the child and said, Run in to mother, my pet, and tell her
I think you had better stay at home to-day and help her.
Then turning gravely to Harry:
My boy, I hope you will always defend your sister, and give anybody who
insults her a good thrashing--that is as it should be; but mind, I won't
have any election blackguarding on my premises. There are as many
'blue' blackguards as there are 'orange', and as many white as there are
purple, or any other color, and I won't have any of my family mixed up
with it. Even women and children are ready to quarrel for the sake of a
color, and not one in ten of them knows what it is about.
Why, father, I thought blue was for Liberty.
My boy, Liberty does not come from colors, they only show party, and
all the liberty you can get out of them is, liberty to get drunk at
other people's expense, liberty to ride to the poll in a dirty old cab,
liberty to abuse any one that does not wear your color, and to shout
yourself hoarse at what you only half-understand--that's your liberty!
Oh, father, you are laughing.
No, Harry, I am serious, and I am ashamed to see how men go on who
ought to know better. An election is a very serious thing; at least it
ought to be, and every man ought to vote according to his conscience,
and let his neighbor do the same.
43 A Friend in Need
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