[Sidenote:  Politics and Principle]

Have you ever been to a political meeting, dear Mamma?  It is funny!  All these old gentlemen sit up on a platform and talk such a lot.  The Duke put in “buts” and “ifs” and “thats” over and over again when he could not think of a word, and you weren’t a bit the wiser when he had finished, except that it was awfully wrong to put up barbed wire; but I can’t see what that has to do with politics, can you?  One of the pepper-and-salts did speak nicely, and so did one of the new people—­quite a youngish person; but they all had such a lot of words, when it would have done just as well if they had simply said that of course our side was the right one—­because trade was good when we were in, and that there are much better people Conservatives than Radicals.  Anyway, no one stays a Radical when he gets to be his own father, as it would be absurd to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face—­don’t you think so, Mamma?  So it is nonsense talking so much.

One or two rude people in the back called out things, but no one paid any attention; and at last, after lots of cheering, we got into the omnibus again.  I was hungry.  At supper we sat more or less anyhow, and I happened to be next the youngish person who spoke.  I don’t know his name, but I know he wasn’t any one very grand, as Lady Carriston said, before they arrived in the afternoon, that things were changing dreadfully; that even the Conservative party was being invaded by people of no family; and she gave him two fingers when she said “How d’ye do?” But if he is nobody, I call it very nice of him to be a Conservative, and then he won’t have to change afterwards when he gets high up.  The old Earl asked me what I thought of it all, so I told him; and he said that it was a great pity they could not have me at the head of affairs, and then things would be arranged on a really simple and satisfactory basis.

After breakfast this morning most of the new people went, and the Duke and the pepper-and-salts; Lady Carriston drove Lady Garnons over to see her Idiot Asylum.  They were to lunch near there, so we had our food in peace without them, and you would not believe the difference there was!  Everyone woke up:  Old Sir Samuel Garnons, who had not spoken once that I heard since I came, joked with Fraeulein Schlarbaum.  Charlie had two brandies-and-sodas instead of his usual glass of milk, and Adeline and Miss Garnons were able to gaze at their anchor without fear.

This afternoon I have been for a ride with Charlie, and do you know, Mamma, I believe he is trying to make love to me, but it is all in such horrid slang that I am not quite sure.  I must stop now.—­With love, from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth.

[Sidenote:  A Good Protestant]