remedy
matters, and the first step was to choose one of the two candidates
offering themselves as representatives of this party for Noonoon. The
first one was to speak that night in the Citizens' Hall, and by paying
a shilling one could become a member of the League, and vote for this
candidate or the other.

"Oh, if I only had a vote!" regretfully exclaimed Dawn.

"He's a young chap named Walker, from Sydney,--very rich, I believe.
Do you know him?" Mrs Pollaticks inquired of me.

"I've heard of him," I said, exchanging glances with Ernest, "and
should like to hear him, if convenient."

"I'll drive you in," volunteered Dawn.

"If you're around you might act as groom," I suggested to Ernest, and
he gladly responding, it was agreed that we should begin
electioneering that night.

"I knew Ernest would be delighted to be with us, he takes great
pleasure in my company," I remarked with assumed complacence as we
drove home; and I watched Dawn smile at my conceit in imagining any
one took pleasure in my company while she was present, and that any
normal male under ninety should do so would have been so phenomenal
that she had reason for that derisive little smile.

"You said he was hopelessly red-headed," she remarked; "why, I think
he has a handsome kind of red hair. I never thought red hair could be
nice, but Mr Ernest's is different."

I smiled to myself.

"I never thought much of men, but this one is different," has been
said by more than one bride; and, "I never could suffer infants, but
this kid is different to all I've seen," is an expression often heard
from proud young fathers.

"His young lady thinks so at all events," I innocently remarked, and
we fell into silence complete.

ELEVEN.

ANDREW DISGRACES HIS "RARIN'."

The silence that fell upon Dawn and myself was unbroken when we went
to tea and seemed to have affected the whole company, or else it was
the conversational powers of Andrew, who was absent, which were
wanting to enliven us.

"He ought to be home," said grandma. "He's got no business away, and
the place can't be kep' in a uproar for him when the girls want to go
out."

The old lady had determined to take a vigorous interest in politics,
and spoke of going to hear the meetings later on herself.

It presently transpired that Andrew had not been looking to his
grandma for all that went into his "stummick" so religiously as he
should have been. Just as he was under discussion