The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1888-01-13
LADY GREWSUM'S PORTRAIT.
Mr.. Savile-Moss' Lovely Notion, +"
and How 1t Worked.

Mr.. Savile-Moss' Lovely Notion"
and How 1t Worked.
Lady Grewsum was the wife of the
Earl of Grewsum, stiff-necked Tory
magnate of some territorial influence
and 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 case 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 Verjuice, took after his father, in
that he was narrow-minded, selfish and
stihgy; and had it not been for his
mothers terrific energy and ceaseless
nagging he would never have been in
duced to stand in the Tory interest for
a division of the county of Sunderland
in which the family estates were stu
ated. Ii was q pretty safe Tory seat;
but it may be truthfully said that,
without Lady Grewsum and her pecu-
liar methods of electioneering, Lord
Vcriuice 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 dullness
of the speeches was relieved by tight
rope dangers, niger minstrels, cheap
Jacks and merry Andrews; she made
house-tO-house canvass of the hapless
farmers and laborers, who promised
her their votes for the sake of peace
and quiet So the result of the election
for East Sunderland was that Lord
Veriuice was returned by narrow ma
jority.
Now, Lady Grewsum was perfectly
aware that this consummation 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 para
graph to be inserted in the local pat
on foot amongst the county COnserva-
tives to present her with testimonial
''as n slight recognition of her untiring
labors in the constitutional cause.
and shc took good caIN to have the
subject broachcd at a meeting of the
council of the Marlborough Habitation
of the Primrose league, of which She
was a vice-president The person
who was entrusted with this task was
Dr. Sopely. her ladyship's medical adj
wiser and devoted adherent, but DIR.
Sopelv was man of the world. rs well
as u 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.
Tie truth was that Lady Grewsum was
almost as much disliked rs she was
feared. Nearly every gentleman pres
eut had at one time or another been
snubbed and sat upon by her imperious
ladyship. She was elderly and hard
featured, so the younger member,
looked upon her with disfavor; she was
bumptious, overbearing, and her din.
ners were not only few but bad, SC
she was by no means popular among
the seniors. At the same time one anC
all had been severely bled in one form
or another for the expenses of the re
cent election, and there was genera
Discrimination to incur fresh liabilities
But it must not be imagined that sucl
heretical views We're openly expressed
IAN excellent idea, said the chair
man, Sir james Shircutt, who had no
the remotest intention of contributing
more than a fve-pound note. wv
must canvas the county and raise a
least El,00O.
quite So" said Mr.. Fawning; she
ladyship services must be substan
italy recognized.
And as Messrs Scraper, Doubletol
and Rodent-all leading members o
the council-followed suit, it becam
evident to all parties that the onl,
questions to be discussed were tn
amount to be raised, the way of rails
inc it. and the form which the testimo
NAL should take. The last point wa
soon settled. Lady Grewsum shout,
be presented with her portrait, painted
Of course, bv some fashionable r. A.
who could be trusted 20 tone down he
undeniable plainness.
I'VE can haJdly get a good portal
for less than e1.OO0," suggested Dl
Sopely; "but such n sum should easil
be raised. / only regret that my mod
crate means"
Quite So" interrupted Sir James
crinly; exactly. 1 myself am yer
sorry that. owing 10 agricultural dc
preston. / shall not be able to make S
handsome q contribution as I shoul
have wished"
Money is very difioalt to get in,
signed Mr.. Fawning, who was loc'
solicitor
This expression Of opinion met wit
general approval, for, with one col