I now had an opportunity of using my eyes, and there before me in one of the front seats was the redoubtable Cave--the great canvassing Cave--who instantly rose and gave me the most cordial welcome, trusted I was to be his future colleague in the House, and was most generous in his expressions of admiration for the people of Barnstaple, especially the voting portion of them, and hoped I should have a very pleasant time and never forget dear old Barnstaple. I said I was not likely to--nor am I. Of course I had to address the assembled electors first after the introduction by the chairman, who, taking a long time to inform us what the electors _wanted_, I made up my mind what to say in order to convince them that they should have it. I gave them hopes of a great deal of legal reform and reduction of punishments, for I thought that would suit most of them best, and then gladly assented to a satisfactory adjustment of all local requirements and improvements, as well as a determined redress of grievances which should on no account be longer delayed. ("Orkins for ever!") Then Cave stood up--an imposing man, with a good deal of presence and shirt-collar--who invited any man--indeed, _challenged_ anybody--in that hall to question him on any subject whatever. The challenge was accepted, and up stood one of the rank and file of the electors--no doubt sent by the Howell Gwynne party--and with a voice that showed at least he meant to be heard, said,-- "Mr. Cave, first and foremost of all, I should like to know _how your missus is to-day_?" It was scarcely a political or public question, but nobody objected, and everybody roared with laughter, because it seemed at all political meetings Cave had started the fashion, which has been adopted by many candidates since that time, of referring _to his wife_! Cave always began by saying he could never go through this ordeal without the help and sympathy of his dear wife--his support and joy--at whose bidding and in pursuit of whose dreams he had come forward to win a seat in their uncorruptible borough, and to represent them--the most coveted honour of his life--in the House of Commons. Of course this oratory, having a religious flavour, took with a very large body of the Barnstaple electors, and was always received with cheers as an encouragement to domestic felicity and faithfulness to connubial ties. When this gentleman put the question, Cave answered as though it was asked in real earnest, and was cheered to the echo, not merely for his domestic felicity, but his cool contempt for any man who could so far forget connubial bliss as to sneer at it.