he had in the course of his investigations, been fortunate enough to
acquire important and exclusive knowledge with regard to the early
life of Sir THOMAS CHUBSON and his chief supporters in Billsbury.
"If it is published," he continued, "it will absolutely blast the
prospects of Radicalism in Billsbury. I am not a grasping man, but I
must consider my family. Still, Sir, such is my respect and liking
for you, that I am willing to place a sealed packet containing all
these stories in your hands on payment of £150 down." I told him that
wasn't my way either of fighting a constituency or of doing business,
whereupon he became more voluble than ever, and I had no end of a job
to get rid of the oily beast. JERRAM tells me to-day that he was once
a solicitor's clerk in Billsbury, and had to leave on account of
some missing money. Since then he appears to have lived a shady life,
varied by attempts at blackmail. Faugh!

Came down to Billsbury to-day, to attend the inaugural dinner of the
season of the Billsbury Cricket Club. I am a Vice-President, and so
is CHUBSON. The dinner was held in the large room of the "Blue Posts
Hotel." General BANNATYNE, an old Indian, who is the President of the
Club, was in the chair, having CHUBSON on his right, and me on his
left. Old CHUBSON, to whom I was introduced, seems not half a bad old
fellow, but he can't speak a bit. The dinner was awful, everything
as tough as leather, and the Cabinet Pudding more beastly than any
Cabinet Pudding I ever tasted--which is saying a good deal. CHUBSON
proposed, "Prosperity to the Billsbury C.C." "Politics," he said,
"are like Cricket. We spend our time in bowling overs." At this point
a young Conservative, who had drunk too much, shouted, "Ah, and you
mostly change sides, too"--an allusion to the fact that CHUBSON is
believed to have started in politics as a Tory. Somebody removed
the interrupter, and CHUBSON finished his speech all right, but