_March 20. "George Hotel," Billsbury._--Arrived here yesterday afternoon.
Mother made up her mind to come with me, being very anxious, she said, to
hear one of my splendid speeches. She brought luggage enough to last for a
week, and insisted on taking her poodle _Carlo_, who was an awful nuisance,
in the train. He growled horribly at old TOLLAND and BLISSOP when they came
to see me at the Hotel before dinner. Very awkward. TOLLAND wanted to put
before me the state of the case with regard to registration expenses. The
upshot was that the Candidate is expected to subscribe £80 a year to the
Association for this purpose, which I eventually agreed to do. Found
fourteen letters waiting for me. No. 1 was from Miss POSER, the Secretary
of the Billsbury Women's Suffrage League, asking me to receive a small
deputation on the question, and to lay my views before them. No. 2 from the
Anti-Vaccination League, stating that a deputation had been appointed to
meet me, in order to learn my views, and requesting me to fix a date. No. 3
and No. 4, from two local lodges of Oddfellows, each declaring it to be of
the highest importance that I should become an Oddfellow and proposing
dates for my initiation. Nos. 5, 6 and 7 were from Secretaries of funds for
the restoration or building of Churches and Chapels, appealing for
subscriptions. Nos. 8, 9, and 10, from three more local Cricket Clubs, who
have elected me an Honorary Member, and want subscriptions. No. 11 from a
Children's Meat Tea Fund. No. 12 asked me to subscribe to a Bazaar, and to
attend its opening in June. No. 13, from the local Fire Brigade, and No. 14
from the Secretary of the Local Society for improving the Breed of
Bullfinches, recommending this "national object" to my favourable notice.
Shall have to keep a Secretary, likewise a book of accounts. Where is it
all going to end?
The Mass Meeting went off well enough. The Assembly Rooms were crammed.
(The _Meteor_ says, with its usual accuracy and _good taste_, "The
attendance was small, the proceedings were dull. A wonderful amount of
stale Jingoism was afterwards swept up by the caretakers from the floor.
Our Conservative friends are so wasteful.") I was adopted as Candidate
almost unanimously, only ten hands being held up against me. One or two
questions were asked--one about local option, which rather stumped me--but
I managed to express great sympathy with the Temperance party without, I
hope, offending publicans.
_Carlo_ somehow or other got out of the hotel and followed us to the
meeting without being noticed. Poodles are all as cunning as Old Nick. He
lay quite low in some corner or other, until Colonel CHORKLE was in the
middle of a tremendous appeal to "the stainless banner which 'as so often
been borne to triumph by Billsbury's embattled chivalry." The Colonel
thumped on the table very hard, and _Carlo_, I suppose, had his eye on him
and thought he was going to thump me. At any rate he sprang out and dashed
at the Colonel, barking furiously. I had to seize him and take him outside.
The Colonel turned quite pale. _The Meteor_ says: "The war-like ardour
which burns in the breast of Colonel CHORKLE was well-nigh extinguished by
an intelligent dog, whose interruptions provoked immense applause." I had
to apologise profusely to the Colonel afterwards. Mrs. CHORKLE looked
daggers at me. Mother was delighted with the meeting. She has written about
it to Aunt AMELIA.
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