The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-16
(Continued.)


 sa your wedding-day," he said aioud' and may you and your wife be 1satn- .ul to each other"
 And still he hesitated. It might veem as though an invisible angel Of goodness held his hand. Then his thoughts flew to the past, and again .o the future. What had the future for him? He lifted the glass to his lips. and drank; when he set it down t was nearly empty.
 ..Ah, but this is the great forget .er,'' he said.
 He sat down in an armchair, and ,,osed his eyes. In a few minutes The strong spirit began to have it's effect on him. The fire crept along his veins, he felt his nerves tingllng .Its because I've not touched 1t for so long," he said. "A few months ago I should not have known I had tasted a drop like this"
 He drained the glass to the bottom and poured out more. For two hours he remained there, drinking, and breeding, and trying to forget.
 Presently he arose, and went down to the smoking-room. He walked steadily, but he never remembered whisky to affect him as it was affect Ing him now. He wanted compan- Ionship; the whisky had destroyed all desire for privacy. On entering the room. he saw that the men who had gathered there were greatly excited. He had expected that some one would pretend to commiserate with him on the postponement of his marriage, but to his surprise no one seemed to heed him..
 "Ah. MacGregor," he said, to a young Scotchman, whom he kEew slightly, "the devil hasn't claimed you yet, then. But trust Scotch man to outwit even the devil.' Leicester, is that you?" said the Scotchman. T heard you were off for your honeymoon; but I suppose even happy bridegrooms have to sub- mt to Gen6Tdl 6leCtiOHS.
 General Elections-what do you -mean?" what do I mean? Don't you know?"
 Then what?"
 The Scotchman laughed.
 why, where have you been dur ing the day?"
 i've been busy in my room," he replied warily.
 But haven't you heard?"
 i've heard nothing"
 what, not that there has been a dissolution of Parliament"
 "what?"
 Just that We'll all have to hurry of to our constituencies now-that is. those of us who have been fools enough to meddle with politics. I'm off in two hours"
 well, you will be all right. You'll get returned again, I suppose %
 "Yes.s thanks to my wife. I believe I shall She's far more popular in the constituency than I, and people will vote for me for her sake. suppose you'll be off to Taviton to- night?"
 Not I.''
 ''But, man, it'll be-"
 Its not worth the candle,' said Leicester: whats the odds which
 
 it's only a question of which set of maggets shall eat the cheese" The words which MacGregor had spoken about his wife had stung him.
 But that's all nonsense. It's true you've lately got married, but you must go down and fight. It'll be all beer and skittles with you. A good speaker like you, and just married to a charming and rich wife, can do anything. An electioneering honey moon. My word, that will be a new thing in welded life. Quite a sub ject for romance. By the way, I have not congratulated you. How is Mrs. Leicester"
 He turned on his heel and walked away.
 ''Hullo, Leicester,'' said another man. here you are. By the way, what is the truth about that para graph I saw in the papers?"
 "Oh, it's all right"
 Isis Miss Castlemaine seriously n?"
 'T don't know, and I don't care" You don't mean to say that" 'I mean to say that I'll have a drink with you, Bryant" he said.
 "But you've turned teetotaler"
 Then I'll break my pledge. what1l you take?"
 '.But, say. Leicester-"
 twill you have a drink? ?"
 with pleasure. only I thought that"
 'T was a reformed rake, eh? We'll, I'm not. Whistles for two, waiter. I say, tell us about this dissolution. What do you think about it?"
 sI think our side will have a stiff fight. Besides, you know what has to be our chief card?''
 T know nothing. I've been busy uith-others things"