attending them, whereby the lawyers amass fortunes, and their unhappy clients are often ruined ?" "There's a slap in the face for you, Mr. Sharpness," shouted another. "Well, who will deny the existence of numberless useless expensive sinecures, whereby the field of corruption is enlarged, the burthens of the people increased, and vice and profligacy encouraged ?”— "You're a nice fellow to talk of profligacy," shouted another. "Who can attempt to justify the sums drained from the vitals of the nation to keep up the pension list? The mockery of Parliamentary representation is too notorious to dwell on, notwithstanding the Jesuitical sophistry of those who are interested to keep up the juggle." "Walk up, ladies and gentlemen," shouted a waggish attorney's clerk, "and you shall see what you shall see-the great Riversdale Juggler trying his tricks on in Rankston." "Party attachments govern men, and the loaves and fishes are the objects of contention." "I suppose you would not mind your share of them, would you?" "Our penal laws-" "What a pity you don't speak personally on the subject," interrupted the same sharp attorney's clerk retained for the Conservative candidate. "I say, again, our penal laws, as at present administered, are odious and tyrannical." "Draw it mild," bellowed a clod. Then, again, our criminal laws are too indiscriminate and sanguinary. The murderer and housebreaker, who deliberately takes the life of some victim who he has robbed, and the man who in a fit of jealous frenzy stabs his rival to the heart, receives an equal punishment. All and more of these abuses are tolerated to the disgrace of a civilised country.” "You're a pretty fellow to talk of jealous frenzy-look at home." "In conclusion, Freemen of Rankston, my future constituents-" Never, never," shouted the mob; "Hazledean for ever-Hovingham in the river." "True to my principles, I will never desert them-" "Who deserted his wife, eh?" (Groans and hisses.) "And at the close of the poll, I hope to find an overpowering majority in favour of—” At this moment a scroll (similar to those formerly used at Astley's Theatre, announcing "He dies at sunrise," or some such notice) was let down from the back of the hustings, on which appeared in black letters on a pink ground, "My ill-treated, ill-used, innocent wife." This roused the fury of the populace, and caused his lordship to retire, amidst a shower of brickbats, rotten eggs, cabbages, and other missiles, looking a perfect picture of resignation. He then made the best of his way to the Crown Hotel, ordered his carriage to be in readiness the moment the poll was declared; then finding that his opponent had carried the day by a large majority, stealthily left the town. In the meantime Squire Hazledean was carried in triumph through the town, headed by a band of music, to the Castle Hotel, where he addressed the populace from the balcony. He then presided at the dinner given to the free and independent electors, where the usual speeches were made, in which corruption was denounced, Conservatism extolled, the usual toasts drank with due honours, and songs, loyal and Bacchanalian, were sung with loud choruses. Bowls of punch concluded the orgies within doors. Out of doors drunkenness and disorder did hard duty; not a few fights took place between the Orange and Pink parties, and morning dawned upon Rankston as a town sacred to headacheand heartburn. CHAPTER XIII. See the ball I hold! Let the chemists toil like asses, GAY'S Beggar's Opera. SATED with home, and anxious to distract his thoughts by change of scene, Hovingham proposed to Joanna a trip to Rome, Naples, and Florence. "If I recollect rightly, you described those three cities thus Roma la Santa, Napoli la Gentile, Fiorenza la Bella." "Yes," the list Genova la Superba, Padova la Dotta, Bologna la Grassa, Milano la Grande, Ravena l' L'Antica." |