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character. The friends of each party now clearly saw that, if a cessation of hostilities were not, by some means or other, brought about, the issue would be the bankruptcy of both. They accordingly agreed to use their best endeavours to bring about a reconciliation between the belligerents of High Holborn. Mr. Jones. at once agreed to this; but little Nokes resolutely resisted for some time all offers of mediation by his friends. At last, one Saturday evening, one of his friends finding him in a more composed and more rational mood, said, familiarly, clapping him on the shoulders, “Nokes, my boy, do you recollect the story of the cats of Kilkenny?"

"The cats of Kilkenny!" said Nokes, hesitating for a moment, as if putting his powers of remembrance to the test. "The cats of Kilkenny! No, I don't think I ever heard of them partik❜lar hanimals before."

"Come now, Nokes, try if you can't brush up that treacherous memory of yours a little

bit. I am sure you must have heard the story," said his friend, in a coaxing tone.

"The cats of Kilkenny!" said Nokes again. "Oh, I recollect now," exclaimed the little man, in great ecstacies, after a moment's hesitation. "The cats of Kilkenny which fought together till nothing but their tails were left,-I suppose you mean?"

"Precisely so, Mr. Nokes; and if you and Jones go on much longer in the way you have been doing of late, you will soon be both in a similar predicament; you will be ruined. You will, Mr. Nokes, you may rely on it."

This carried conviction to the mind of little Nokes; he at once signified his willingness to discontinue the war. By the interposition of mutual friends, a reconciliation was eventually brought about between the parties; and in less than six months afterwards they became such ardent friends, as to enter into partnership together. This was several years ago, and ever

since they have carried on a most prosperous business as hatters in High Holborn, and seem as attached to each other as if they had been "born brothers."

CHAPTER VIII.

A general election-Joseph attends several elections to report the proceedings-The election for the county of Dorset -The election for a neighbouring borough.

THOSE gentlemen connected with the morning papers, whose engagements are to report the proceedings in Parliament, are sent, at the period of a general election, into the various counties and towns throughout the kingdom, where contests are expected, for the purpose of reporting the proceedings. They are allowed, on such occasions, a guinea a day, over and above all coaching expenses, their salaries running on, of course, as usual, at home. Reporters will sometimes be out attending the elections for a month at a time; and in most cases, two or three weeks elapse before their

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return. A general election is, consequently, very expensive to the morning papers. I have known one general election cost a single paper about 2500l. There is an instance on record,— and a very recent instance too, in which a

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solitary election in the north of England, cost a morning journal the enormous sum of 1507. The expenses were chiefly incurred in expressing the intelligence to London.

Joseph Jenkins was sent, soon after the date of the events recorded in the last chapter, into Somersetshire and some of the neighbouring counties, to attend the elections consequent on the dissolution of 1826, in that district. Contested elections are proverbial for the amusement they afford. The general election of 1826 was particularly prolific of fun. In the district allotted to Joseph, there were two elections which excited much interest, and afforded no ordinary amusement. One of these was a county, the other a borough, election.

The county election to which we allude, was

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