The Wise Men of the East
of the time at their disposal, and intreating them to work hard in order that the Grand Old Flag might be carried to victory.
At such times these people forgot all about unemployment and starvation in their enthusiasm about 'Grand Old Flags'. Their devotion to this flag was so great that the fact that they had carried it to victory so often in the past without obtaining any of the spoils did not seem to damp their ardour in the least. Being philanthropists, they were content, after winning the victory, to let their masters do the looting.
At the conclusion of Sweater's remarks the philanthropists gave three frantic cheers, and then someone in the crowd shouted: 'What's the colour?' After a hasty consultation with Rushton, who being a 'master' decorator was thought to be an authority on colours, green, grass-green was decided upon, and the information was shouted down to the crowd, who cheered again. Then a rush was made to Sweater's Emporium, and several yards of cheap green ribbon were bought and divided up into little pieces, which they tied into their button-holes, and thus appropriately decorated, they formed themselves into military order, four deep, and marched through all the principal streets, up and down the Grand Parade, round and round the Fountain, and finally over the hill to Windley, singing, to the tune of 'Tramp, tramp, tramp, the Boys are marching':
'Vote, Vote, Vote for Adam Sweater!
Hang old Closeland on a tree!
Adam Sweater is our man,
And we'll have him if we can,
Then we'll always have the biggest loaf for tea.'
The spectacle presented by these men, some of them with grey heads and beards, as they marked time or tramped along singing this childish twaddle, might have been amusing if it had been less pathetic.
By way of variety they sang several other things, including:
'We'll hang ole Closeland
On a sour apple tree.'
and:
'Rally, Rally, men of Windley,
For Sweater's sure to win.'
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