248 WITH MR. CHAMBERLAIN IN THE 



Here Mrs. Chamberlain struck in. 



** T guess Fd have you a-Hght and pro-cure me 

 about five cents worth of chewing-gum, my dear," 

 drawled she. 



" But if the train should go on without me, love ? " 

 quoth Joseph, who evidently thought it beneath his 

 dignity to run on small errands for anybody. 



'' The cars wait at this de-pot for ten minutes, I 

 reckon," cooed the lady, dreamily, *' and I'm sorter 

 sot on gum, I am." 



There was that in her tones which caused her lord 

 to depart on his mission with alacrity. Bowing to 

 the bride, I followed him. 



** I fancy you're mistaken in your idea that Mrs. 

 Chamberlain is not a Home Ruler," I observed with 

 subtle irony. 



" Eh, sir — how's that ? " queried Joseph, un- 

 easily. 



*' Wait till she gets you to Highbury, and you' II see, ^^ 

 I replied, in meaning accents. 



And then, Mr. Editor, I mingled with the gadding 

 crowd, and Joseph walked pensively off in search of 

 that chewing-gum. Mary will avenge the Liberal 

 Party yet, sir, take my word for it. 



iV[r. and Mrs. Chamberlain were married at 

 Washington on November 15, 1888, and on their 

 return to Birmingham in the following January, 

 Bergne and I paid our second visit to Highbury to 

 attend the festivities which Birmingham accorded 



