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MY LAST CHANCE.
37

it wants,' said I, nodding my head, and glancing triumphantly at Mrs. Hilary.

'Men and women,' said she, 'who are acquainted with the best that has been said and thought on all important subjects.'

At the time I believed this observation to be original, but I have since been told that it was borrowed. I was delighted with it.

'Yes,' said I, 'and have got a stake in the country, you know, and know how to behave 'emselves in the House, don't you know?'

'What we have to do,' pursued Miss Milton, 'is to guide the voters. These poor rustics need to be informed——'

'Just so,' I broke in. 'They have to be told——'

'Of the real nature of the questions——'

'And which candidate to support.'

'Or they must infallibly——' she exclaimed.

'Get their marching orders,' I cried, in rapture. It was exactly what I always did on my small property.

'Oh, I didn't quite mean that,' she said reproachfully.

'Oh, well, neither did I—quite,' I responded adroitly. What was wrong with the girl now?

'But with the help of the League——' she went on.

'Do you belong?' I cried, more delighted than ever.

'Oh, yes!' said she. 'I think it's a duty. I worked very hard at the last election. I spent days distributing packages of——'