“You have heard the question,” said the chairman. “Unless there is some opposition, we will regard it as carried unanimously.” He looked over his spectacles a moment, and as no one offered an objection, he brought his gold-headed cane down with a sharp rap upon the floor, and said “Carried!”
Again the word was passed from citizen to citizen onto the waiting mob without, that Waterville was to have a sash, blind and door factory. Again huzzas and cheering rent the air, and impeded, to a certain degree, the deliberations of the Town Company’s meeting.
At this juncture, a clerk of the local bank—the only one that Waterville could boast of—presented himself and asked permission to address the directors.
“What is the nature of your business, young man?” asked Col. Alexander, clearing his throat threateningly and looking hard at the clerk over his spectacles.
"I have a sight draft for $50, drawn on the Waterville Town Company for printing stock certificates.”
The chairman and his seven colleagues came to their they cried, almost in unison. Several of the directors shouted, “Mr. Chairman! Mr. Chairman!” at the top of their voice, but in his indignation the chairman failed to take notice of them.
Presently a silence, caused by sheer consternation, succeeded the first burst of surprise. Judge Legal, mounting a chair, said: