"The Druid" as a Politician. 293 



filled the large open space in front. It was 

 always a stirring and exciting scene, accom- 

 panied at times by much rough horse-play 

 and disorder, by throwing of rotten eggs 

 and other unsavoury missiles at the candi- 

 dates, and sometimes by the scattering of 

 blue and yellow powder. Occasionally 

 violent rioting broke out among the dense 

 throngs of people below. Well do I recollect 

 my uncle taking me into Carlisle from Holme 

 Eden, and leading me on to the hustings to 

 support Sir Wilfrid Lawson and the late Mr. 

 Edmund Potter, the two Liberal candidates. 

 Being very young, I soon got tired of the 

 speeches and began to move about the plat- 

 form, approaching rather closely to the Tory 

 side. I was quickly perceived and called 

 back by 'The Druid,' who exclaimed: 'Come 

 away from there, my boy, at once, or your 

 politics may, perhaps, be misunderstood.' 

 After the proceedings on the hustings were 

 over, we went to lunch with a relative, Mr. 

 Silas Saul, a leading solicitor of Carlisle, and 

 the head Conservative agent for East Cum- 

 berland. I can well remember my Uncle 

 Henry joking with Mr. Saul at luncheon 



