[_Exeunt to get places for Drury Lane._

* * * * *

LEAVES FROM A CANDIDATE'S DIARY.

_Billsbury, Thursday, May 22_.--Came down here yesterday, to stay
for a fortnight on end. Four meetings have been arranged in different
wards, and a good deal of time is to be devoted to canvassing.
Pleasant prospect! Begin to think that, on the whole, it was easier
work to wear an occasional wig in the Law Courts, or to sit in
Chambers, planning imaginary Law-books.

On Tuesday I lunched with the BELLAMYS, to say good-bye. Mrs. BELLAMY
made herself very agreeable. Somebody, so she said, had told her
that my chances at Billsbury were excellent, and she declared she had
always admired young men who devoted themselves with a single-hearted
purpose to the service of their country. So different from the crowd
"Of shallow-pates, who scorn laborious days. And shun the rugged paths
that lead to praise." This is a familiar quotation from the works of
"your grandfather, the poet." Mrs. BELLAMY quotes him on all possible
occasions. A long time ago she gave me a beautifully bound copy of his
book, "_Per Ardua_, by HENRY GATTLETON, M.A." I've got a notion she
has a whole room-full of the unsold copies, somewhere at the top of
the house.

After luncheon had a long talk with MARY, who really looked prettier
than I've ever seen her. She said, "Now that you have got into what
Mamma calls 'the vortex of politics,' I suppose you'll despise all
our simple little amusements, and begin to forget everybody except