"This
box with a slit in it is a ballot-box. Votes are put into it at election
times."
"What is put into it at other times?" asked Bertie.
"Nothing. And here are some tools of industry, a wheelbarrow and a hoe,
and I think these are meant for hop-poles. This is a model beehive, and
that is a ventilator, for ventilating sewers. This seems to be another
municipal dust-bin--no, it is a model of a school of art and public
library. This little lead figure is Mrs. Hemans, a poetess, and this is
Rowland Hill, who introduced the system of penny postage. This is Sir
John Herschel, the eminent astrologer."
"Are we to play with these civilian figures?" asked Eric.
"Of course," said Harvey, "these are toys; they are meant to be played
with."
"But how?"
It was rather a poser. "You might make two of them contest a seat in
Parliament," said Harvey, "an have an election--"
"With rotten eggs, and free fights, and ever so many broken heads!"
exclaimed Eric.
"And noses all bleeding and everybody drunk as can be," echoed Bertie,
who had carefully studied one of Hogarth's pictures.
"Nothing of the kind," said Harvey, "nothing in the least like that.
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