tendant upon the death of
an important public body, and many gentlemen with aspirations for
public office or government jobs found that they must forego much of
the joy that was offered in the shape of baseball, lacrosse, and rowing
fixtures, and get out and hustle for their respective "grand old party."

The issues at stake in the contest, according to Tommy Watson, were
such as no self-respecting auctioneer could put on the block at any
sale and not blush for shame. "It's just a case," said he, "of the
government, knowing they cannot be beaten, wanting to make sure of a
new lease of power," and Tommy, as usual, was not far wrong. But if
there were no really great issues in a general sense, there was a big
one in Mid-Toronto, and stripped of all party rhetoric and verbiage it
was this: "Shall 'The Big Wind' continue to represent us?"

The people were tired of "The Big Wind." So was the government. But
the government dare not say so, while the people--including the many
who had voted for him four years before--hoped that "The Big Wind" (his
real name does not belong to this chronicle of facts) would have sense
enough to blow himself out of public life. He might have done that if
some of those who called themselves his friends had been strong enough
in their friendship to have so advised him. For even in the
moments--and they were many--when he thought much of himself, "The Big
Wind" had glimmerings of common sense.

The government had taken him up for reasons that at the time seemed to
be sufficient. He was the sole male survivor of a family that had done
much for Toronto; was the possessor of a large fortune, and a liberal
giver to charities, as his father in his lifetime had been; his
position socially was distinguished, and he was a handsome man, tall
and straight, with a fine olive-complexioned face, well set off with
mustachios and an imperial. Much had been hoped from him, a cabinet
position was in his reach, until the day he made his first speech in
the Provincial House. That was a day indeed. The party papers had
blazoned the announcement the day before that on the morrow "The Big
Wind" would make his maiden address in the House, taking as his subject
"two or three important matters in connection with the budget. A rare
treat is in store for those who will be able to attend," and all the
rest of the hyperbole that the party papers--except yours, dear
reader--are wont to indulge in. Of course, the g