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Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir, 1863-1944

"News from the Duchy"


She was not took out of his head,
To reign or to triumph o'er man;
She was not took out of his feet,
By man to be tramped upon:
With my fol-de-rol, tooral-i-lay!
But she was took out of his side,
His equal and partner to be:
Though they be yunited in one,
Still the man is the top of the tree!
With my fol-de-rol, tooral-i-lay!
"Well, and what's wrong wi' that?" Hancock wound up, feeling for his
courage again.
"Get along with 'ee, you ninth-part-of-a-man! _Me_ took out of
_your_ side!"
"Be that as it may, the 'Fish and Anchor' is no place for discussing
of it," the man answered, very dignified. "Enough said, my dear!
We'll be getting along home." He stood up and knocked the ashes out
of his pipe.
But Sally was not to be budged. "I knew how 'twould be," she spoke
up, facing the company. "I took that preacher-fellow 'pon the ground
hop, as I thought, and stopped his nonsense; but something whispered
to me that 'twas a false hope. Evil communications corrupt good
manners, and now the mischief's done. There's no peace for Saltash
till you men learn your place again, and I'm resolved to teach it to
'ee.


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