RRELL
SPEAKS OUT," "AN INTERRUPTER EJECTED." One headline in particular
gave me qualms--"WHAT'S WRONG WITH SILVERSMITH'S COLLEGE? PUBLIC
ENDOWMENT WITHOUT PUBLIC CONTROL: MR. FARRELL PUTS SOME SEARCHING
QUESTIONS." But it had all been toned down in the letterpress and
came to very little. The reporters, using their own discretion, had
used such phrases as "An interrupter, apparently labouring under some
excitement," "At this point a gentleman in the front row caused a
diversion by challenging . . . The audience were in no mood,
however, . . ." "Here an auditor protested warmly. It was
understood that he had some official connection with the institution
referred to by the candidate," and so on.

I hugged myself over my success. To be sure, the vague impression
derivable was that the "scene" had its origin in strong drink.
But the name of Professor John Foe nowhere appeared. Greatest
blessing of all, there was no leading article, no pithy paragraph,
even. I arose and shaved blithely. Across the stairhead I could
hear Jimmy shouting music-hall ditties--his custom in his bath.
Yes, all was right with the world.

Nothing happened that day, except that I interviewed my agent after
breakfast, worked like a nigger until nightfall, canvassing slums;
got back to the Bath Club, had a swim, dined, and returned to my
constituency for the night's public meeting. Arduous work: but what
you might call supererogatory. I could have shot my opponent
sitting, and he knew it. My rascal of an agent knew it too, but he
was an honest man in his way--and that's politics.

Next morning, same procedure on Jephson's part: similar bolster
of papers, neatly folded and laid across the foot of my bed.
This time I poured myself a cup of tea and reached for them lazily.
The _Times_ was topmost. Jephson always laid the _Times_ topmost.

Five minutes later . . . But listen to this--

_(To-night before resuming his story Otway had laid on the table
beside him a small but bulging letter-case, from the contents of
which he now selected a newspaper cutting.)_

PUBLIC ENDOWMENT OF RESEARCH

To the Editor of _The Times_:--

Sir,

A Memorial, influentially signed by a number of ladies and
gentlemen variously eminent in Society, Politics, Literature and
Art but united in their friendship for the dumb creation, was
recently addressed to the Principal of the South London
("Silversmiths