Speaker," she
exclaimed, starting to her feet, "I protest against this House
being compelled to listen to such a tirade as has just been
delivered. Are we to be disgraced before the world--"
"Oh, hoo! Disgraced, is it?" yelled Nelly Kirkpatrick, violently
interrupting her, "and me as dacent a woman as ever she was, or
ever will be! Disgraced, hey? Oh, I'll larn her what it is to
blaggard her betters!"
And before anybody could imagine what was coming, she pounced upon
Mrs. Whiston, with one jerk ripped off her skirt (it was silk, not
serge, this time), seized her by the hair, and gave her head such
a twist backwards, that the chignon not only came off in her
hands, but as her victim opened her mouth too widely in the
struggle, the springs of her false teeth were sprung the wrong way,
and the entire set flew out and rattled upon the floor.
Of course there were cries of "Order! Order!" and the nearest
members--Mr. Gorham among the first--rushed in; but the mischief
was done. Mrs. Whiston had always urged upon our minds the
necessity of not only being dressed according to the popular
fashion, but also as elegantly and becomingly as possible.
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