The heckling began at once. I was the first victim over that confounded Free Trout-fishing. Was I in favour of it? I said that as all there was belonged to me, it was obvious I could hardly be expected to answer the question. Mrs. ARBLE MARCH and Mrs. LETHAM HAVITT said they were prepared to use all the powers the Act conferred as to free fishing. I noticed that a curious smile lurked round the mouths of both, and I should have said, if I had not thought it to be too incredible to be true, that Mrs. MARCH almost winked her eye. Anyhow, the meeting cheered, and seemed satisfied. BLACK BOB made a long and impassioned speech, in which he called the Act the Charter of the Peasants' Liberty. This, too, evoked great enthusiasm. Finally the questioning flickered out, no one withdrew their candidature, and the voting commenced. I had previously noticed that there were 173 electors present. My name--WINKINS--came last. Marvellous to relate, 173 hands were held up for each of the first seven candidates--for I thought it only a courteous thing to vote for my opponents. When my name was put, only 59 hands went up. It will be noticed that the total number of votes was more than seven times the number of votes, and no one ought to have voted more than seven times! The show of hands was a fraud and a farce, so it was only in common justice to the parish and myself that I should demand a poll. A poll I did demand, and we are to have an election on Monday week. When I got home I found a letter from the Local Government Board, referring me on the trout-fishing point to the words of the Act, to which accordingly I at once turned. Then I saw that the clause was "to utilize any ... stream within their parish ... but _so as not to interfere with the rights of any corporation or person_...." I had stopped short before at these last words. I understand at last why Mrs. ARBLE MARCH winked--for wink I now know she did. * * * * * [Illustration: AND IF HE _DOES_----? _Sportsman_ (_who has given a mount to a Nervous Friend_). "LET HER HEAD GO! LET HER GO, MAN! SHE'LL BE A REGULAR WILD CAT IF YOU _DON'T!_"] * * * * * "THE JUDGMENT OF 'PARISH.'" (_A very long way after the late Laureate's Version._) [On December 4, every rural parish will, for the first time, "assemble for the purpose of managing, in some organised and systematic way, its own affairs."--_Daily News._ "He invited them to choose men, and women too, who they believed would manage their parish affairs best.... If the leading landowner desired to have a large influence in parish affairs, and if he were a fit man, by all means give him the power; but if he was not a fit man, put in the agricultural labourer." (Laughter and cheers.)--_Lord Ripon at Newbury._] _Spirit of the Good Old Times lamenteth:_--