A SMART CANVASSER.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1780, 20 April 1874, Page 4

A SMART CANVASSER.

The following is told in an article in the Gentleman's Magazine : — " Sir Edward Watkin distinguished himself in the recent contest at Exeter, by his adroitness and tact as a canvasser, and a host of stories are in circulation about his readiness in dealing with hesitating voters. ' Lor' bles 'cc, sir,' said an old dame, when asked about her husband'B vote, 'my old man can't vote at all this year. Coals is mortal dear.' ' Yes,' answers Sir Watkin — as he is called in Exeter—' it's along o' the Tories.' 'Be it sure, sir?' 'Yes; bub if I'm returned you have coals cheap enough next year ; for I intend to do my best to repeal the law of entail'— an argument which, if not perhaps conclusive, was puzzling. A shopkeeper in a by.street was asked if he had voted. 'No, I have not yet ; for the truth is, I have no one to attend to my shop.' 'Is that all V asks Sir Watkin, taking off his hat, and walking round the counter. ' Here, put on your hat and go at once : I'll take care of your shop till you come back.' And Sir Watkin did. But in a recent contest for the representation of West Gloucestershire a still more piquant instance of this kind occurred. Mr Marling's partner, calling upon a voter in the Forest of Dean, found him digging potatoes. The voter pleaded this as an excuse for not voting. 'To-morrow's market day, and I Bhall lose the sale of my potatoes, and Mr Marling can better afford to lose my vote than I can afford to miss the sale of these potatoes.' ' Then give me your fork,' said the canvasser, 'Fll dig the potatoes while yon go and vote.' The man slouched off to the poll, voted, and, returning, peeped through his parlor window to Bee Mr at work in the potato ground. 'He uses the fork very well, and a stroke of work will perhaps do him good. I'll have a pipe.' And a pipe he had, keeping Mb eye, however, all the time upon Mr in the potato plot, till the canvasser, growing tired, walked round to the cottage to find how nicely he had been tricked into an hour's hard labor, while the free and independent freeholder was taking his 6Me with a 'churohffarden' in his chimney corner."