serve for cushions; while the better sort
spread a feather-bed for greater comfort, covered by a patchwork quilt,
the work of the "good woman" herself, whose own quilted petticoat vied
in brightness with the calico roses on which she was sitting. The most
luxurious indulged still further in some arched branches of hazel,
which, bent above the car in the fashion of a booth, bore another
coverlid, by way of awning, and served for protection against the
weather; but few there were who could indulge in such a luxury as this
of the "_chaise marine_," which is the name the contrivance bears, but
why, Heaven only knows.

[23] A large basket of coarse wicker-work, used mostly for carrying
turf--_Anglice_, peat.

The street of the town had its centre occupied at the broadest place
with a long row of cars, covered in a similar manner to the _chaise
marine_, a door or a shutter laid across underneath the awning,
after the fashion of a counter, on which various articles were
displayed for sale; for the occasion of the election was as good as a
fair to the small dealers, and the public were therefore favoured with
the usual opportunity of purchasing uneatable gingerbread, knives that
would not cut, spectacles to increase blindness, and other articles of
equal usefulness.

While the dealers here displayed their ware, and were vociferous in
declaring its excellence, noisy groups passed up and down on either side
of these ambulatory shops, discussing the merits of the candidates,
predicting the result of the election, or giving an occasional cheer for
their respective parties, with the twirl of a stick or the throwing up
of a hat; while from the houses on both sides of the street the scraping
of fiddles, and the lilting of pipes, increased the mingled din.

But the crowd was thickest and the uproar greatest in front of the inn
where Scatterbrain's committee sat, and before the house of Murphy, who
gave up all his establishment to the service of the election, and whose
stable-yard made a capital place of mustering for the tallies of Egan's
electors to assemble ere they marched to the poll. At last the hour for
opening the poll struck, the inn poured forth the Scatterbrains, and
Murphy's stable-yard the Eganites, the two bodies of electors uttering
thundering shouts of defiance, as, with rival banners flying, they
joined in one common stream, rushing to give their votes--for as for
their _voices_, they were giving _them_