CHAPTER XVII.

CANVASSING before an election resembles skirmishing before a battle; -the skirmishing was over, and the arrival of the Honourable Sackville Scatterbrain was like the first gun that commences an engagement ;and now both parties were to enter on the final struggle.

A jolly group sat in Murphy's dining parlour on the eve of the day fixed for the nomination. Hitting points of speeches were discussedplans for bringing up voters-tricks to interrupt the business of the opposite party-certain allusions on the hustings that would make the enemy lose temper; and, above all, every thing that could cheer and amuse the people, and make them rejoice in their cause.

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Oh, let me alone for that much," said Murtough. "I have engaged every piper and fiddler within twenty miles round, and divil a screech of a chanter,* or a scrape of catgut, Scatterbrain can have for love or money-that's one grand point."

"But," said Tom Durfy, "he has engaged the yeomanry band." "What of that?" asked Dick Dawson; "a band is all very well for making a splash in the first procession to the hustings, but what good is it in working out the details ?"

"What do you call details ?" said Durfy.

"Why the popular tunes in the public houses, and in the tally rooms, while the fellows are waiting to go up. Then the dances in the evening— Wow!-won't Scatterbrain's lads look mighty shy when they know the Eganites are kicking their heels to 'Moll in the Wad,' while they hav'n't a lilt to shake their bones to ?"

"To be sure," said Murphy; "we'll have deserters to our cause from the enemy's camp before the first night is over; †-wait till the girls know where the fiddles are-and won't they make the lads join us!"

"I believe a woman would do a great deal for a dance," said Doctor Growling; "they are immensely fond of saltatory motion: I remember, once in my life, I used to flirt with a little actress who was a great favourite in a provincial town where I lived, and she was invited to a ball there, and confided to me she had no silk stockings to appear in, and without them, her presence at the ball was out of the question." "That was a hint to you to buy the stockings," said Dick.

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'No-you're out," said Growling. "She knew I was as poor as herself; but though she could not rely on my purse, she had every confidence

The principal tube of a bag-pipe.

In those times elections often lasted many days.

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in my taste and judgment, and consulted me on a plan she formed for going to the ball in proper twig. Now, what do you think it was?" "To go in cotton, I suppose," returned Dick.

“Out again, sir-you'd never guess it; and only a woman could have hit on the expedient: it was the fashion in those days for ladies in full dress to wear pink stockings, and she proposed painting her legs!"

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Painting her legs!" they all exclaimed.

Fact, sir," said the doctor; "and she relied on me for telling her if the cheat was successful-”

"And was it?" asked Durfy.

"Don't be in a hurry, Tom.—I complied on one condition—namely -that I should be the painter."

“Oh, you old rascal!” cried Dick.

"A capital bargain," said Tom Durfy.

"But not a safe covenant," added the attorney.

"Don't interrupt me, gentlemen," said the doctor: "I got some rose-pink accordingly; and I defy all the hosiers in Nottingham to make a tighter fit than I did on little Jinney; and a prettier pair of stockings I never saw."

"And she went to the ball?" said Dick.

"She did."

"And the trick succeeded?" added Durfy.

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"So completely," said the doctor, "that several ladies asked her to recommend her dyer to them—so you see what a woman will do to go to a dance. Poor little Jinney!-she was a merry minx :-by-the-bye, she boxed my ears that night for a joke I made about the stockings. 'Jinney,' said I, 'for fear your stockings should fall down when you'r dancing, hadn't you better let me paint a pair of garters on them?'" The fellows laughed at the doctor's quaint conceit about the garters, but Murphy called them back to the business of the election. "What next?" he said; "public-houses and tally-rooms to have pipers and fiddlers—ay and we'll get up as good a march, too, as Scatterbrain, with all his yeomanry band :—I think a cart-full of fiddlers would have a fine effect!"

"If we could only get a double-bass amongst them!" said Dick.

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Talking of double-basses," said the doctor, "did you ever hear the story of the sailor in an admiral's ship, who, when some fine concert was to be given on board--"

Hang your concerts and stories!" said Murphy; "let us get on with the election!"

"Oh, the doctor's story!" cried Tom Durfy and Dick Dawson together. "Well, sir," continued the doctor; "a sailor was handing in, over the side, from a boat, which bore the instruments from shore, a great lot of fiddles. When some tenors came into his hand, he said, those were real good-sized fiddles; and when a violoncello appeared, Jack, supposing it was to be held between the hand and the shoulder, like a violin, declared, ' He must be a strapping chap that fiddle belonged to!' But when the double-bass made its appearance, My eyes and limbs !' cried Jack, 'I would like to see the chap as plays that!!!”

"Well, doctor, are you done?" cried Murphy; "for, if you are, now

for the election. You say, Dick, Major Dawson is to propose your brother-in-law?"

"Yes."

And he'll do it well, too: the Major makes a very good straightforward speech."

"Yes," said Dick;

66 the old cock is not a bad hand at it; but I have a suspicion he's going to make a greater oration than usual, and read some long rigmarolish old records."

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"That will never do," said Murphy; "as long as a man looks Pat in the face, and makes a good rattling speech out o' the face,' Pat will listen to him; but when a lad takes to heavy readings, Pat grows tired : —we must persuade the Major to give up the reading."

"Persuade my father," cried Dick,—“ when did you ever hear of his giving up his own opinion?"

"If he could be prevailed on even to shorten," said Murphy.

"Oh, leave him to me," said Dick, laughing; "I'll take care he'll not read a word."

Manage that, Dick, and you're a jewel!”

"I will," said Dick; "I'll take the glasses out of his spectacles the morning of the nomination, and then let him read, if he can.”

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Capital, Dick; and now the next point of discussion is

Supper, ready to come up, sir," said a servant, opening the door. Then, that's the best thing we could discuss, boys," said Murphy to his friends-" so up with the supper, Dan. Up with the supper!Up with the Egans! Down with the Scatterbrains-hurra!-we'l beat them gaily."

"Hollow!" said Durfy.

"Not hollow," said Dick; "we'll have a tussle for it."

"So much the better," cried Murphy: "I would not give a fig for an easy victory-there's no fun in it. Give me the election that is like a race-now one a-head, and then the other; the closeness calling out all the energies of both parties, and developing their tact and invention, and at last, the return secured by a small majority."

“But think of the glory of a large one," said Dick.

"Ay," added Durfy, "besides crushing the hope of a petition or the part of your enemy, to pull down the majority.'

"But think of Murphy's enjoyment," said the doctor, "in defending the seat, to say nothing of the bill of costs."

You have me there, doctor," said Murphy,

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a fair hit, I grant you; but see, the supper is on the table. To it, my lads; to it! and then a jolly glass to drink success to our friend Egan.'

And glass after glass they did drink in all sorts and shapes of wellwishing toasts:-in short, to have seen the deep interest those men took in the success of their friend, might have gladdened the heart of a philanthropist; though there is no knowing what Father Mathew, had he flourished in those times, might have said to their overflowing benevolence