A POLITICAL METEOR 



interruption. But a meteor, political or other- 

 wise, does not usually announce its approach 

 beforehand. Hearing some commotion in the 

 street outside, I went to the first floor window of 

 my office, and on looking out beheld a somewhat 

 striking equipage decorated with pink ribbons, and 

 with a particularly long streamer attached to the 

 coachman's whip. Gracefully reclining in the open 

 carriage, enjoying a cigar, was Lord Randolph. 

 Marvelling what could possess him to travel from 

 Woodstock about eight miles off in this election 

 state on Good Friday, I returned to my desk. 



Presently there came a gentle tap, tap, tapping 

 at the street door. I thought the outside world 

 might leave me alone on this day at any rate, but, 

 being the only occupant of the premises, I felt 

 I had better answer the summons. Having done 

 so, I found myself face to face with Lord Randolph, 

 and the inquiry : " Please, may I come in ? ' : 

 Then it transpired that, as Good Friday was a 

 dies non, so far as meetings and canvassing were 

 concerned, his lordship thought he might as well 

 spend his time in finding out all he could with 

 respect to his electoral chances. From my inter- 

 course with farmers, I happened to know that his 

 seat had never been in more jeopardy than at 

 that moment, not on account of anything for 

 which he was responsible, but solely because of 

 certain grievances of some of the tenants on the 

 Blenheim estates. I told him what I knew, and 

 urged that some steps should be taken at once to 

 counteract the influence that was at work. He 

 expressed his intention to do what was necessary, 

 and he met my forebodings with the assurance 



71 



