A CHEAP REPAST 



cheap repast, inasmuch as anyone, applying 

 through a member of the society, could obtain a 

 ticket on payment of a shilling, which entitled him 

 to all he could lay his hands on at the festive 

 board. This was possible at the price owing to 

 the liberality of certain town and country folk, 

 who made presentations of joints, game, etc., for 

 the good of the cause. Although politics were 

 supposed to be strictly tabooed, the local Parlia- 

 mentary representatives always regarded it as an 

 opportunity to give some account of their steward- 

 ship. I have enjoyed on these occasions the 

 precise and polished oratory of the late Viscount 

 Cardwell, and, following it, the more out- 

 spoken cut-and-thrust declarations of Sir William 

 Harcourt. 



Candidates desirous of supplanting the sitting 

 members also took advantage of the gathering 

 to advertise themselves. This resulted in the 

 leaders on both sides of politics acquiring a 

 number of dinner tickets for free distribution 

 among staunch partisans of limited means. These, 

 as the least return they could make, gave some- 

 thing of the nature of a quid pro quo by providing 

 most joyous demonstrations of approval when any 

 of the shining lights of their particular party took 

 the floor. As may be imagined, under these 

 circumstances, the company was somewhat mixed, 

 and this applied also to some of the manners and 

 customs of those who were present. To many of 

 these the chance of so abundant a repast at some- 

 body else's expense came but seldom, and it was 

 said that the more ardent spirits went into strict 

 training beforehand, so that, by means of previous 



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