d to sell it cheap. In every insidious way was he assailed to
part with his vote. On the occasion of this election the list of voters
was rapidly running out to the last drop; the hour of closing the poll
was approaching, and it was found impossible to keep the poll open
another day. "Come, Mr. Pipes, what about your vote?--it's half-past
three!" "Call again in a quarter of an hour." In this quarter of an
hour the little tobacconist's shop was besieged by canvassers on both
sides, when the tempting sum of 30 pounds was reached. The cunning
little Abel Drugger knew his value, but no higher sum would either party
advance. Pipes had, unfortunately, gone into the back part of his shop
for a few minutes, when a wag put his clock back thirteen minutes.
Keeping his eye, while in the shop, on the clock, every now and
then--although, as he admitted afterwards, it seemed a long quarter of an
hour--he still kept off his persecutors. When the hand approached the
quarter on the false-telling dial, one canvasser, bolder than the rest,
laid 35 pounds on a box of cigars, as the bid for it. But Master Pipes
only was sold, for just as he was about to take up the tissue paper
bearing the magic name of Henry Hase, St. George's church struck four,
and the prize was re-pocketed to the great discomfiture of "Pipes," and
the merriment of his customers. Of electioneering tricks I could tell a
full score.

The practice of the "Duello" is, happily, now gone quite out of fashion,
but in my young days any and every occasion of offence was seized upon as
a _casus belli_. Duels were fought on the most frivolous occasions and
for the slightest possible affronts, intentional or supposititious.

This taste has subsided, as well as that for hard drinking. I can
remember both being carried to a lamentable state of excess; but these
practices have grown out of date. I have seen, thank goodness, other
equally salutary improvements in morals, customs, and manners.

Two remarkable hostile meetings, I recollect, took place in Liverpool at
the commencement of the present century, and caused an immense sensation,
from the known position and high standing of all the parties concerned.

The first duel I shall mention was that between Mr. Sparling, late of St.
Domingo House, Everton, and Mr. Grayson, an eminent shipbuilder. Both
gentlemen moved in the first circles of society in the town. It took
place on the 24th of February, 1804.

The occasion