nd, Dr. Spencer, who
made it his special charge to try to lighten his troubles, was usually
the kind recipient.

And though the bustle of the election was incongruous, and seemed to
make the leaden weight the more heavy, there was a compensation in
the tone of feeling that it elicited, which gave real and heartfelt
pleasure.

Dr. May had undergone numerous fluctuations of popularity. He had always
been the same man, excellent in intention, though hasty in action, and
heeding neither praise nor censure; and while the main tenor of his
course never varied, making many deviations by flying to the reverse
of the wrong, most immediately before him, still his personal character
gained esteem every year; and though sometimes his merits, and sometimes
his failings, gave violent umbrage, he had steadily risen in the
estimation of his fellow-townsmen, as much as his own inconsistencies
and theirs would allow, and every now and then was the favourite with
all, save with the few who abused him for tyranny, because he prevented
them from tyrannising.

He was just now on the top of the wave, and his son-in-law had nothing
to do but to float in on the tide of his favour. The opposite faction
attempted a contest, but only rendered the triumph more complete,
and gave the gentlemen the pleasure of canvassing, and hearing, times
without number, that the constituents only wished the candidate were
Dr. May himself. His sons and daughters were full of exultation--Dr.
Spencer, much struck, rallied "Dick" on his influence--and Dr. May, the
drops of warm emotion trembling on his eyelashes, smiled, and bade his
friend see him making a church-rate.

The addresses and letters that came from the Grange were so admirable,
that Dr. May often embraced Norman's steady opinion that George was
a very wise man. If Norman was unconscious how much he contributed
to these compositions, he knew far less how much was Flora's. In his
ardour, he crammed them both, and conducted George when Flora could not
be at his side. George himself was a personable man, wrote a good
bold hand, would do as he was desired, and was not easily put out of
countenance; he seldom committed himself by talking; and when a speech
was required, was brief, and to the purpose. He made a very good figure,
and in the glory of victory, Ethel herself began to grow proud of him,
and the children's great object in life was to make the jackdaws cry,
"Rivers for ever!"

Flora had always d