Squire Longbow took a large chew of plug-tobacco, which I thought he nipped off very short, and remained standing, with his eyes fixed on Turtle.
Sile Bates rose, and said "he wanted to know the particulars 'bout that are glass."
Longbow said "the board 'spended money in their 'scretion, and 'twarn't fur Turtle or Bates, or anybody else, to 'raign 'em up 'fore this 'ere meetin'."
Here was a long pause. The "Colonel" finally arose, put his hand deliberately into his pocket, drew out a quarter, and flung it at the Squire, and "hop'd the meetin' would go on, as it was the first public gathering that he ever knew blocked by twenty-five cents."
This settled the difficulty, and the report for contingent expenses was adopted.
Bulliphant then said he had a motion. He "moved that we hire Deacon Fluett's darter to keep our school."
The Squire said "the meetin' couldn't hire, but it could say male or female teacher."
Bulliphant "moved we hire a female, and we recommend Deacon Fluett's darter."
Bates said "he jest as 'lieve have one of Fluett's two-year olds."
The "Colonel" said "she couldn't spell Baker."
Swipes thought "she was scarcely fit to _go_ to school."
Turtle said "the meetin' hadn't got nothin' to do with it, nohow, and the whole motion was agin law."
Bulliphant, who had become a little out of humor, then "moved that we don't hire Deacon Fluett's darter."
Bates declared "the motion out of order."
The Squire said "he guess'd the motion was proper. The staterts said the meetin' shouldn't hire anybody, but the de-strict board should; and this ere motion was jest 'cordin' to statert."
But the meeting voted down Bulliphant's motion, and Bulliphant then declared that the vote was "tan-ter-mount to a resolve to hire the woman."
Here was a parliamentary entanglement that occupied an hour; but the "Colonel" settled it at last, by reminding the president "that it was _two_ negatives that made one affirmative--not one;" and the Squire said "so he believed he had seen it laid down inter the books."
But I cannot attempt to report the proceedings of this miscellaneous body. The business occupied some four or five hours, and was finally brought to a close. A new school board was elected, and your humble servant was one of the number; positively the first office that was ever visited upon him.