out of the question, as the candidate--a
smart, clean-shaven man with clearly cut features--now appeared, and
announced himself by removing his new straw "decker," and calling
out--

"Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin I would like to follow the
democratic principle of asking you to choose a chairman from among
yourselves."

"We propose Mr Oscar Lawyer!" called several voices, naming a popular
townsman, and this being seconded, the candidate and the people's
chairman, two very gentlemanly-looking men for the hustings, ascended
to the stage side by side.

The chairman took up a position behind a little red table supporting a
water-bottle and smudgy tumbler, while Leslie Walker sat on another
chair at the end of it.

Many members of parliament, having risen to their position from
coal-heaving or hotel-keeping, when going on the war-path a second
time, take great pains to get themselves _up_ in accordance with
their idea of the dignity of their office. Many old fellows, roaring
"Gimme your votes, I'm the only bloke to save the country and see you
git yer rights," dress this modest _role_ in a long-tailed satin-faced
frock-coat, a good thing in the trouser line, and a stylish
button-hole; but Leslie Walker, one of the champagne set, had made
equally palpable efforts to dress himself _down_ to his present
_debut_.

For sure! his suit, which comprised an alpaca coat with a crumpled
tail, must have been the shabbiest he had, while the glistening new
white sailor hat had probably been procured at the last moment in the
vain imagination that, dress as he would, it was not evident at a
first glance that he had had the bread-and-butter problem solved for
him by a provident parent before his birth, and that he had lived what
is designated the cultured life, far and autocratically above sympathy
with the vulgar and despised herds, upon whose sweat his class build
the pretty villas fronting the harbour, charge haughtily along the
roads in automobiles, and sail the graceful yachts on the idyllic
waters of Port Jackson.

"By Jove! Les. has different ambitions from mine," said Ernest. "I'd
rather have to stand up to a mill with the champion pug. than face
what he's on for to-night. Doesn't he look a case in that get up?
Supposing he gets in, what the devil good will it do then, and it
takes such crawling to get into parliament nowadays. There are too
many at the game. I could never face the way one has to flatter some
of th