But I'll wait an' hear what Hardie an'
Smillie say aboot it, afore a' make up my mind."
"To hell wi' them an' their Socialism," said Tam with some heat. "I want
a shillin' or twa on my day. It's a' yin damn to me hoo mony wives they
gie me. I canna' keep the yin I hae. What the hell wad a workin' man dae
wi' three wives? An' they tell me they're goin' to abolish religion too.
Not that I'm a religious man mysel', but I'm damn'd if I'd let them
interfere wi' it. If I want religion I've a guid richt to hae it; an'
forby, if they abolish religion, hoo wad folk do wi' the funerals? I can
see hoo they'll do wi' marriages, for there's to be nane. You've to get
your wife changed every two-three years, an' the weans brought up by the
State as they call it. But the puirhouse is a dam'd cauld step-mother,
an' I'd be up against that."
Thus discussing the subject, they reached the hall to find it packed,
everyone being keen to see and hear this man, who was making such an
uproar in the country with his advocacy of Socialism.
Robert was chairman, and had labored hard to prepare a few remarks with
which to open the meeting. He wanted to be non-committal, and his
reading and self-teaching had been of immense service to him.
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