Collected Plays and Teleplays (Irish Literature) Read Free Page B

says it’s only a question of time. Decent woman, too. ( JOE HOOP enters. ) O, here’s Joe. Good night Joe, you’re just in time.
    HOOP: ( In a pronounced northern accent and giving a broad smile. ) Good night.
    ( He is a tall, youngish man, hatless and coatless, wears glasses and is of somewhat studious aspect. He carries what appears to be a novel in his hand. He slumps into his chair, opens the book, which he holds half under the table, and begins to read it. He pays no attention whatever to the meeting, reading his book steadily to the end. He sits right of table between REILLY and CULLEN .)
    TOWN CLERK: ( Speaking in a toneless headlong babble. ) The Minutes of the last meeting. Letter from the Department was read in connexion with the Council’s housing scheme: letter was noted. Letter from the Commissioners of Public Works was read in connexion with de preservation of de old clocktower in Hogan Street: ordered dat de Council view dis proposal with approval and Town Clerk to co-operate with de Commissioners to de best of his ability, no charge to fall upon de rates from his preservation proposal. Letter read from de Department in connexion with de Council’s share in next year’s allocation under de Free Milk Scheme: ordered dat de Council press for high allocation in view of large number of expectant mothers now on de rates and de depressed state of de town ginerally. ( His voice tails off as a conversation begins. )
    CULLEN: Tell me, Chairman. Is it true you’re going up at the byelection?
    KELLY: That is a big question, Mr. Cullen.
    REILLY: If you’re not, it won’t be for want of having a high opinion of yourself, anyway.
    CULLEN: It’s all over the town that you’re going up.
    KELLY: Gentlemen, I am not yet quite certain where my duty lies. My desire is to serve. Whether I can best serve by offering myself as a candidate for the national parliament is a matter of consideration.
    REILLY: ( Impatiently. ) Are you going up? Yes or no? Cut out the blather.
    KELLY: This much I will say. I have been pressed to go forward. Certain friends are very insistent. Certain friends will not take No. I may have to stand eventually to satisfy them. I only wish I was as worthy as their opinion of me would indicate.
    REILLY: It must be terrible to be pushed like that against your will.
    CULLEN: Well, more luck to you if you do decide to stand. You’ll get two votes from my house, anyway.
    KELLY: Thank you, Mr. Cullen.
    REILLY: Begob, if you ask me, this bloody country’s on its last legs. With you in parliament it’ll be the limit altogether.
    KELLY: I’m not in the parliament yet, Mr. Reilly. Let us cross that bridge when we come to it. Proceed, Town Clerk.
    TOWN CLERK: Letter read from Miss Peake, typist, asking de Council for increase of 5/- a week in her salary: ordered dat de increase be given in view of Miss Peake’s valuable services to de Council and de Community, subject to de sanction of de Minister for Local Government and Public Health and Department to be informed dat Miss Peake has five years’ unblemished service in which she discharged her duties with great zeal and efficiency to de satisfaction of de Council and de Town Clerk and dat she worked late on several occasions in de office of de Town Surveyor when he was getting his works into order and dat she is a very good girl in every way. Letter read from de Department inquiring what action de council took on Circular letter of 10th May in connexion with de cleaning of burial ground: ordered dat de department be informed dat de grave-yard is in a first-class condition and always has been and dat no action be taken on de Circular. De Council discussed de disgraceful condition of de footpath in Emmet Street near de Chairman’s house. Chairman said dat de place was a menace to life and limb of a dark night and dat de road contractor be warned to put the road into proper repair de way he found it and dat de Town Surveyor be ordered to put up a new lamp at