FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



that he had the time, before the poll, to put things 

 straight, and that he meant to do this and to win, 

 though, he admitted, with not much to spare. 

 He did win by sixty votes, which was the smallest 

 majority he ever polled. The incident in question 

 illustrates the pertinacity with which he would 

 run any information he wanted to earth, and his 

 promptness of action in utilizing it afterwards, 

 for, as I have reason to know, he took a very 

 strong course, and saved his seat thereby. 



Lord Randolph, undoubtedly, derived his 

 main characteristics, his brilliancy, his dash and 

 his daring, from his mother, who was a London- 

 derry, and who was generally regarded as the 

 governing factor in the Marlborough household. 

 His father was a man of lofty ideals in the discharge 

 of the duties pertaining to his station, and, whether 

 as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, or of his native 

 county, his nobility of character was equal to that 

 of his rank. The embodiment of gentle courtesy, 

 he maintained withal a dignity which no one could 

 set at naught. I have every reason to hold him 

 in grateful recollection, for when I turned a long- 

 ing eye to the West he was one of those who did 

 much to help me on my way thither, and with 

 a kindliness which left me much his debtor. 



The nature of my work at this time brought 

 me into contact with many shining lights of the 

 agricultural world, of whom I have pleasant 

 recollections. As, however, particulars of in- 

 cidents rather than of persons best serve the 

 purpose of these recollections, I have limited 

 myself to recalling but a few of the latter as 

 illustrative types. 



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