Nos. 5, 6 and 7 were from Secretaries of funds for
the restoration or building of Churches and Chapels, appealing for
subscriptions. Nos. 8, 9, and 10, from three more local Cricket Clubs, who
have elected me an Honorary Member, and want subscriptions. No. 11 from a
Children's Meat Tea Fund. No. 12 asked me to subscribe to a Bazaar, and to
attend its opening in June. No. 13, from the local Fire Brigade, and No. 14
from the Secretary of the Local Society for improving the Breed of
Bullfinches, recommending this "national object" to my favourable notice.
Shall have to keep a Secretary, likewise a book of accounts. Where is it
all going to end?
The Mass Meeting went off well enough. The Assembly Rooms were crammed.
(The _Meteor_ says, with its usual accuracy and _good taste_, "The
attendance was small, the proceedings were dull. A wonderful amount of
stale Jingoism was afterwards swept up by the caretakers from the floor.
Our Conservative friends are so wasteful.") I was adopted as Candidate
almost unanimously, only ten hands being held up against me. One or two
questions were asked--one about local option, which rather stumped me--but
I managed to express great sympathy with the Temperance party without, I
hope, offending publicans.
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