day; and an occasional fight between the light skirmishers of either party at once enlivened the preparations and agreeably diversified their character.
"Well, Sam," said Mr. Pickwick, as his valet appeared at his bed-room door, just as he was concluding his toilet; "all alive to-day, I suppose?"
"Reg'lar game, sir," replied Mr. Weller; "our people's a col-lecting down at the Town Arms, and they're a hollering themselves hoarse already."
"Ah," said Mr. Pickwick, "do they seem devoted to their party, Sam?"
"Never see such dewotion in my life, sir."
"Energetic, eh?" said Mr. Pickwick.
"Uncommon," replied Sam; "I never see men eat and drink so much afore. I wonder they a'nt afeer'd o'bustin'."
"That's the mistaken kindness of the gentry here," said Mr. Pickwick.
"Wery likely," replied Sam, briefly.
"Fine, fresh, hearty fellows they seem," said Mr. Pickwick, glancing from the window.
"Wery fresh," replied Sam; "me, and the two waiters at the Peacock, has been a pumpin' over the independent woters as supped there last night."
"Pumping over independent voters!" exclaimed Mr. Pickwick.
"Yes," said his attendant, "every man slept vere he fell down; we dragged 'em out, one by one, this mornin', and put 'em under the pump, and they're in reg'lar fine order, now. Shillin' a head the committee paid for that 'ere job."
"Can such things be!" exclaimed the astonished Mr. Pickwick.
"Lord bless your heart, sir," said Sam, "why where was you half baptised?--that's nothin', that a'nt."
"Nothing?" said Mr. Pickwick.
"Nothin'at all, sir," replied his attendant. "The night afore the last day o' the last election here, the opposite party bribed the bar-maid at the Town Arms, to hocus the brandy and water of fourteen unpolled electors as was a stoppin' in the house."
"What do you mean by `hocussing' brandy and water?" inquired Mr. Pickwick.
"Puttin' laud'num in it," replied Sam. "Blessed if she did'nt send 'em all to sleep till twelve hours arter the election was over. They took one man up to the booth, in a truck, fast asleep, by way of experiment, but it was no go--they wouldn't poll him; so they brought him back, and put him to bed again."
"Strange practices, these," said Mr. Pickwick; half speaking to himself and half addressing Sam.
"Not half so strange as a miraculous circumstance as happened to my own father, at an election time, in this werry place, sir," replied Sam.
"What was that?" inquired Mr. Pickwick.