Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-10-05

not want to fight, but by jingo, II they
did. and the radicals of Rottenham
had for years only wanted a man to
lead them They had now found him
in jeremiah Clink. of Sharpus & Chnk-
solicitors; his firm had long acted for
one of the leading trade protection
societies in Rotterdam, which gave
him power in quarters where he wanted
popularity; and with the rest OF the
constituency his success surprised
everyone, including himself. Having
cultivated mustard and cress from boy
hood, first on his sponge and suisse
l~uently in an old chocolate box. and
having recently developed a pear tree
and a potato patch in his back garden,
he posed as an authority on matters
agricultural and promised more in the
name Of his party than any candidate
had ever promised before. The agrl-
cultural laborer wa attracted by what
he understood to be the prospect 81
free land for the asking; and Rotten
hamites, who had been contented with
six geraniums in flower pots and q
tomcat, now dreamed OF acresof fertile
soil tenanted by the contemplated
COW and the prolifc-or, as a local
speaker phrased it, "prohigate'-pig.
Sir George R~edworthy, who had repre-
sented the constituency in the con-
seryative interest for fifteen years, felt
that he had his work cut ont and he
buckled to like a man. Il was annoy
ing to be interrupted at such a time By
domestic questions; but lore, which
laughs at locksmiths, jeers at pollti-
clans, and his eldest son and Miss
Dorothy Ditchford. the rector's daush-
ter, selected the morning Of the nomi-
nation day for informing him that
they had resolved to become man and
wife at an early date, subject to his
consent. Needless 10 say, Dick Red
worthy met with q very unpleasant re-
cep,ion when he preached the subject
in the library after breakfast. and that
Dolly Ditchford entered an hour later
with a beating heart to see what She
could do. She "a a great ~iayO-ite
with the old gentleman, but he had
never before regarded her in the light
Of q future daughter-in-law; time flies,
and he had always thought her a child.
After ten minutes talk with her he
knew tina, il she was only just out OF
her teens she was certainly a child no
longer,
We'll, my little girl" he said, good
humoredly, If I get in again, and the
party is in power. | dare say | can get
them to give Dick something TO keep
him going till ! am under the daisies.
! never asked it for anything before
But suppose they don't get in?' said
Dolly, ~ruefullY.
Well. you'll have to wait; but mind,
| can't have any engagement till the
election is over. Meanwhile, you make
everyone in the parish vote right, and
you'll have done your best TO help, Ell?
They won't be able 10 say no To YOU.
Ny agent tells me | shall only win BY
a few. if at all, and Sir George took
up his pen. Dolly went to the door,
hesitated, and came back. sir
George she said, shyly, If you get
into parliament, may we be engaged,
anyhow
"Bless my soul" said Sir George,
looking up. If ! keep my seat,
though, l don't know what | won't
consent to; if / lose it, advise Dick
and everybody else to keep clear of me
for a Bit
II ! can get him a dozen votes, and
he only wins by ten or 50, he'll feel he
owes it 10 me, and then I am sure he
will say yes, sand Dolly to Dick as
they walked up among the shrubbery,
land You can tell my father then
And that afternoon she went into the
village with a sheaf of leaflets in her
hand, and failed miserably when
hecklcd on topics Of the very existence