t in Noonoon but
Townend, where the head polling-booth was situated, though nothing
could have exceeded the excitement in Noonoon.

Grandma said she would wait quietly at home till next day to hear the
result, but at nine o'clock the strains of a band, the glow of the
town-lights like a red jewel through the night, and the sound of
distant cheering proved too enticing to us two left alone in the
house, so we locked it up, put the pony in the sulky, and sallied
forth into the winter night, which in this genial climate was pleasant
in an over-jacket added to one's ordinary indoor attire.

We had the road to ourselves, for the strings of vehicles from which
it was seldom free were all ahead of us.

The candidates had tiny globes of electric light representing their
colours hung across the street from their respective committee rooms,
and the proprietor of 'The Noonoon Advertiser' had a splendid placard
erected on his office balcony and well lighted by electricity, on
which the names of members were pasted as they were elected, and in
view of this had gathered one of the most good-humoured crowds
imaginable. Irrespective of party, the hoisting of each name was
wildly cheered by the embryo electors who, being at that time of life
when to yell is a joy, took the opportunity of doing so in full.

Leaving grandma in charge of the vehicle I got out to reconnoitre, and
slipped in among the crowd desiring to be unobserved, but that was
impossible; a good-tempered man invariably discovered me behind him,
and insisted upon putting me forward where there was a better view of
the numbers and names.

"Let the women have a show. This is their first election and it ought
to be their night," and similarly good-natured remarks in conjunction
with a little "chyacking" from either party as the numbers fluctuated,
were to be heard on all sides.

Where were all the insults and ignominy that opponents of women
franchise had been fearfully anticipating for women if they should
consent to lower themselves by going to the polling-booth? If one
excepted the discomfort that non-smokers have to suffer in any crowd
owing to the indulgence of this selfish, disgusting, and absolutely
idiotic vice, it was one of the best-mannered crowds I have been
among.

I espied Larry and Carry carefully among the shades of the trees on
the outskirts of the gathering, and even in the teeth of a political
crisis not so thoroughly "up-to-date" that they could f