The account was then repeated by Longbow, item by item, and among the rest was two shillings for setting glass.
When glass was mentioned, Turtle sprang to his feet again. "Thar, old man," he exclaimed, rapping his knuckles on the desk, "thar's where I'se got you—thar's a breach er trust, a squand'rin' of funds, that ain't a-going to go down in this ere meetin'. Old Gulick's boy broke that are glass just out of sheer dev'ltry, and you s'pose this ere school de-strict is a-goin' to pay for't? What do you s'pose these ere staterts was passed for? What do you s'pose you was 'lected for? To pay for old Gulick's boy?—Well, I rather caklate not, by the light of this ere moon—not in this ere age of Puddleford."
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."