that a gude auld True Blue was to address the Free an' Independent in the Schule Room on Friday nicht!"

"Have you heard," inquired Dominie Liffie, somewhat pedantically, "what may have brought about this sudden Dissolution?"

Ony man micht ken that withoot askin'," retorted Gairliebanks, his temper rising with his thoughts; "they hae been tryin' tae tear doon ilka Institootion i' the Kintra,-tae ding doon Kirks, tae clean oot the Lords, to steal the Laun' frae the Lairds,-an' noo, seein' the Nation risin' against them, raither than be kickit doon stairs, they hae taen their leave! For brawly ken they, that they'll be packit aboot their business at the Polls."

"An' what better wull you an' me be, Gairliebanks, ma man?" interjected a keen and clear ringing voice, from out the crowd of men and women, who had left alike the game and the crack, and gathered around the news-bringer,-"What better wull you an' me be, tho' the Oots were the Ins, an' the Ins were the Oots, this verra nicht?"

"Better!" hastily rejoined Gairliebanks, recognising at once the voice of Jean Darumple, his redoubtable antagonist in Politics, and not even trying to disguise his annoyance, "Better, shure eneuch! At ony rate, we'll no be waukenin', ilka mornin', wi' the feelin' that something's tummilin' aboot oor ears; an', gif we dinna look shairp, that it'll shune no be worth while risin' ava!"

"Cannie, Gairliebanks, Ca cannie, ma man!" replied Jean Darumple, "There's some o' us beginnin' tae think that it's nowther worth while.

risin', nor liftin' a finger, for thae meeserable merely Poleetical Reformers! We hae fared just as weel, that is just as ill, under Tory as under Raidical Governments. That game's pleyed oot! It's nae langer Poleetical changes, an' the like, that we either want or care for; but some change that wad pit us i' the wey o' gettin' mair daicent Hooses for Human Hames, mair usefu' Schulin' for oor Bairns, mair bits o' Laun' in Crafts an' Ferms, for oor Fowks tae leeve on an' tae leeve by, an' better opportunities, for a' that's born o' Wumman, tae learn hoo best tae please the Makker o' us a', an' tae dae gude an' only gude tae oor fellow-Crayturs. Tell yer freen', gif he seeks oor votes, he had better angle for them wi' baits like thae, or he need na bother comin' tae Castlebraes!"

"Haivers, Jean, Haivers!" shouted Gairliebanks, whipping up his old Mare, "The Milleenium 'll no come i' your time or mine. We'll hae to staun' twathree turns o' the wheel frae Raidical tae Tory an' frae Tory tae Raidical, afore that 'oor strikes. Sae, brace yersels for Friday nicht, an' we'll hae an auldfashioned stand-up fecht, an' under the auld Banners tae! Hang thae Dreamers! We're no ripe for ony Milleenium yet; an' nae mair are they. They wadna kenn't, gif it sailed doon ower the cluds, an' beckoned them the morrow's mornin'. They wad mock at it, an' declare they never prayed for siccan a thing!"

"A proper Son o' Yirth, is auld Gairliebanks!" said Jean Darumple, as she marked him cantering off, and then turned to the Circle around her ;"Awa' he rides, mockin' an' lauchin' at oor maist cherisht houps, for oorsels an' oor bairns, as silly

dreams. His ain Ferm moderately rented, his ain Faimily daicently provided for,-what cares he for ony puir Sowls aroon' him, strugglin' for bare existence ? Hunders break doon by the wey; Hunders gang tae their en' i' the Puir-House. Only a few stalwart swummers, or lucky stragglers, keep their heids aboon the watter, an' reach the shore o' a daicent, lovely, an' independent Auld Age;-settin' like the Sun amid cluds o' wairmth, an' fa'in' asleep like him on a downy bed, wi' tears o' love drappin' roon them on this side, whan they dee, an' smiles o' licht welcomin' them on the tither side, whan they wauken oot o' their sleep. Hech, Sirs!" sighed Jean, with as much of pity as of anger in her tone, "God is michty patient, an' Man is wunnerfu' slow!"

Impressed by Jean's unwonted moderation, the Dominie suggested that it might be worth while for once to "try their hand at a new kind of Political Meeting." Instead of Tory and Radical shouting themselves hoarse in mutual and worthless recriminations, they might deliberately set themselves to find out some "Schemes for promoting the General Welfare," in which all lovers of their Country and of Human Kind might be fearlessly called upon to join. Several subjects were suggested, on which "Questions" might be asked, and regarding which "Motions" might be made. And, in order that the Meeting might be a genuine expression of the opinion of Castlebraes, and not jerrymandered in the exclusive interests of any Party, it was resolved to vote some one into the Chair, who was universally known to have kept aloof from

Political partisanship, and who could be trusted to hold the balance even. Whereon, out spoke the hottest Tory, Rookan Sam, and was at once seconded by the wildest Radical, Dave o' the Beacon:

"Then, there's just yae Man in the Pairish that can be said half-daicently tae fulfil thae conditions, and that's the Laird o' Tinlie Tour."

"Dod-davert, Sam," roared Dave, "Ye've taen the word oot o' ma mouth, just as they're takin' the ferm oot o' the haun's o' Pierie Linn,—the Laird maun fill the Chair!"

This was received with such fervour, and insisted on with such clamorous zeal, that, utterly to my own astonishment, and for the first time in all my life, I felt like being swirled, or rather shoved violently off, into the stream of Politics,-which, as hitherto presented, had mostly merely amused me, except where the meaner and falser features of Public Life had absolutely disgusted and repelled me.

Determined not to be caught napping, or to show myself ignorant on current questions, I spent my whole time for two intervening days among the records of Parliamentary debates and proposals, resolutely trying to seize and master the vital issues that had been raised. I might have saved myself all the bother, for two very substantial reasons,one pertaining to the Candidate, the other to the Electors, as will immediately appear.

On Friday evening, an hour before the time advertised, the Village School Room was crammed. Several of the Worthies, not yet in the confidence of the leaders, strove hard to lash themselves into

frenzy with the usual cries on both sides, but were met with stolid silence and serious looks, that were most perplexing.

"Three Cheers for Auld Gleddy!" shouted Bauldy o' the Smiddy, and led off with Stentorian roar, left almost entirely to himself, the whilome Radicals making little response. Misinterpreting this, the foolish Gairliebanks, hat in hand, and prepared for a mighty demonstration, exclaimed, rising to his feet,-"Three Cheers for Dizzy!" But his undoubtedly lusty cheer died off into silence, and woke a wave of laughter in response.

The leaders sat talking seriously together; and the blind and blustering Partisans, who ignorantly and noisily shouted for Names, not for Principles, were completely dumfounded. Some younger Spirits, coming to the rescue, filled in the blanks with snatches of National Songs, and an occasional mouth-filling Chorus.

Promptly, on the stroke of the hour, the Right Honourable Reginald Bluffbounce, accompanied by Lord Dougall the eldest son of the great Magnate of these parts, and followed by Easter Linns and the Factor, entered the School Room. He becked and bowed very graciously, and was received with a quiet though universal cheer, so wholly unlike the usual boisterous uproar for and against, that it had a somewhat ominous significance, particularly to the Factor. Without allowing a moment's pause, that Worthy wheeled round in front of the little Platform, and said—

"Fellow Electors, I propose Lord Dougall take the Chair. It will be grateful to all that, in this