Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-01-07
LADY GREWSUM'S PORTRAIT.


MI. Savile-Moss' Lovely Notion
and How 1t Worked.
Lady Grewsum was the wife of the
Earl Of Grewsum, a stiff-ncckcd Tory
magnatc of some territorial influence
II very limited intelligence. The
Earl did not take "A very active part in
politics. sometimes he made a dreary
speech, to which nobody listened in
the House of Lords; sometimes he took
the chair at Conservative meetings,
but being equity, bad tempered and
fond of his ease he left most of the real
~electioneering work to his wife. who.
so long as she did not interfere with
his personal comfort, had absolute lib
erty to do as she pleased. Their son.
Lord Ncrjuice, took after his father, in
That he was narrow-mindcd, selfish and
stingy; and had it not been for his
mothers terrific energy and ceaseless
nagglng he would never have been in
dnced to stand in the Tory interest for
u division of the county of Sunderland
i'll which the family estates were stu
ated, 1t was II pretty safe Tory seat;
but it may be truthfully said that.
without Lady Grewsum and her pecu-
liar methods of clcctioneering, Lord
Nerjuicc would not have succeeded in
retaining it for his party. But, fortu-
nately or unfortunately, Lady Grew
sum was interchangeable. She founded
branches Of the Primrose league all over
the division; she organized Primrose
demonstrations, at which the dullncss
OF the speeches was relieved by tight
rope dangers, niger Ministries, cheap
: Jacks and merry Andrews; she made
a house-to-housc canvas of the hapless
farmers and %laborcrs, who promised
her their votes for the sake of peace
and quiet. SO the result of the election
Tor East Sunderland was that Lord
Verjuicc was returned by a narrow mat
iority.
Now, Lady Grcwsum was perfectly
aware that this contamination was
mainly due to her own exertions, and
she was not the sort of woman to con-
trovert the proposition that the la
borer, male or female, was worthy of
his or her hire. So she caused a para
graph to be inserted in the local pa
pcrs to the effect that a movement was
on foot amongst the county Conserva-
lives to present her with Il testimonial
"as a slight recognition of her untirinp
labors in the constitutional cause"
and she took good care to have the
subject broached at n meeting of the
council Of the Marlborough Habitation
of the Primrose league, of which she
was II vice-prcsident. The person
who was entrusted with this task was
DR.. Sopely, her l~adyship's medical adj
wiser and devoted adherent, but DR..
Sopely was man of the world, as well
MS a toady, and he was not greatly
surprised to find that his proposal was
received with a conspicuous lack of en-
thusiasm by his fellow councillors.
The truth was that Lady Grewsum was
almost rs much disliked as she was
feared. Nearly every gentleman pres
ent had at one time or another been
snubbed and sat upon by her imperious
ladyship. She was elderly and hard
featured, so the younger members
looked upon her with ~disfavor; she was
bumptious, overbearing, and her din
ners were not only few but bad, so
she was by no means popular among
the seniors. At the same time one and
all had been severely bled in one form
or another for the expenses of the re-
cent election, and there was. = penascl
dislnclina5a1dlicur fresh liabilities.
out it must not be imagined that such
heretical views were openly expressed.
IAN excellent idea,' said the chair
man, Sir James Shircutt, who had not
the rcmotest intention of contributing
more than a five-pound note. ave
must canvas the county and raise at
least f1,00O."
.'Quite So" said Mr.. Fawning; "her
ladyship's services must be substan-
TALLY recognized"
And as Messrs. Scraper, Doubleton
and Rodent-all leading members of
the council-followed suit, it became
evident TO all parties that the only
questions to be discussed were the
amount to be raised, the way Of rails
ing it, and the form which the testimo-
NAL should take. The last point was
soon settled. Lady Grewsum should
be presented with her portrait, painted,
of course, by some fashionable r. A.,
who could be trusted to tone down her
undeniable plainness.
1--WE can hardly get a good portrait
for less than f1,0O0," suggested Dr..
Sopely; '.but such n sum should easily
be raised. l only regret that my mod.
crate means"
'.Quite So" interrupted Sir james,
grimly; ''exactly. l myself am very
sorry that, owing to agricultural de.
preston, ] shall not be able to make SO
handsome a contribution as / should
have wished"
''Aioney is very difficult to get in.'
signed Mr.. Fawning, who was a loca1
solicitor.
This expression Of opinion met witt
gsnsrAi approval, for. with one con