"
"Nay, nay," said old Martin, "I'n gi'en up to my son; I'm no tenant now:
let my son take my place. Th' ould foulks ha' had their turn: they mun
make way for the young uns."
"I should ha' thought the biggest tenant had the best right, more nor
th' oldest," said Luke Britton, who was not fond of the critical Mr.
Poyser; "there's Mester Holdsworth has more land nor anybody else on th'
estate."
"Well," said Mr. Poyser, "suppose we say the man wi' the foulest land
shall sit at top; then whoever gets th' honour, there'll be no envying
on him."
"Eh, here's Mester Massey," said Mr. Craig, who, being a neutral in the
dispute, had no interest but in conciliation; "the schoolmaster ought to
be able to tell you what's right. Who's to sit at top o' the table, Mr.
Massey?"
"Why, the broadest man," said Bartle; "and then he won't take up other
folks' room; and the next broadest must sit at bottom."
This happy mode of settling the dispute produced much laughter--a
smaller joke would have sufficed for that Mr. Casson, however, did not
feel it compatible with his dignity and superior knowledge to join
in the laugh, until it turned out that he was fixed on as the second
broadest man. Martin Poyser the younger, as the broadest, was to be
president, and Mr.
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