And he was not much kinder to the artisan. If
scorn could have annihilated, there would have been no proletariat left
in the division... Men? Sheep rather! Letting themselves be driven up
and down like that, and believing all the yarns that were spun to them!
Gaping idiots, they would swallow any mortal thing! There was simply
naught that they were not stupid enough to swallow with a glass of beer.
It would serve them right if--However, that could not happen. Idiocy
had limits. At least he presumed it had.

Early as it was, the number of carriages was already considerable. But
he did not see one with the blue of the Labour candidate. Blue rosettes
there were, but the red rosettes bore them down easily. Even dogs had
been adorned with red rosettes, and nice clean infants! And on all the
hoardings were enormous red posters exhorting the shrewd common-sense
potter not to be misled by paid agitators, but to plump for his true
friend, for the man who was anxious to devote his entire career and
goods to the welfare of the potter and the integrity of the Empire.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

TWO.

"If you can give me three days off, sir," said Big James, in the
majestic humility of his apron, "I shall take it kindly."

Edwin had gone into the composing room with the copy for a demy poster,
consisting of four red words to inform the public that the true friend
of the public was `romping in.' A hundred posters were required within
an hour. He had nearly refused the order, in his feverish fatigue and
his disgust, but some remnant of sagacity had asserted itself in him and
saved him from this fatuity.

"Why?" he asked roughly. "What's up now, James?"

"My old comrade Abraham Harracles is dead, sir, at Glasgow, and I'm
wishful for to attend the interment, far as it is. He was living with
his daughter, and she's written to me. If you could make it convenient
to spare me--"

"Of course, of course!" Edwin interrupted him hastily. In his present
mood, it revolted him that a man of between fifty and sixty should be
humbly asking as a favour to be allowed to fulfil a pious duty.

"I'm very much obliged to you, sir," said Big James simply, quite
unaware that captious Edwin found his gratitude excessive and servile.
"I'm the last now, sir, of the old glee-party," he added.

"Really!"

Big James nodded, and said quietly, "And how's the old gentleman, sir?"

Edwin s