"BEFORE THE ELECTION."

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 67, 20 August 1879, Page 3

"BEFORE THE ELECTION."

..' to THB-Bprrpßr" I hare been informed,- whether" cpiTectly [ or not I cannot say, that Mx~ ;s^alter Johnhis "better half '^ve^amved m the Manawatu to work tbe#i«cle;iif ipolssible,. with the electors. WJien I say "better half,'? I; mean. it. m the . tuuesi ißense of the teran^fop'lihl Very'' I fefr / 'of-the •lectors wjio can carry recollection l*ek through the yeairs wliica^h^e elapsed eince our latg memHer^honored. hiß>.con.3tU \ twency with : 4. visit^ will^remeinber r , th at «pon that occasion Mr. dbnastdn^s't" axe vas ground^' thrqugb;; the indefatigable efforts of his female coadjutor. -The confluct of th* n^ropo^tenrdandidatetrexnihds me forcibly of V£ho*sf^masterly if satirical •ketches wljich ja.QSJtlpe'opie^haTe- seen,' entitled, "Before^he^Eleetion,'^ andt "jAffcer *he Election."- We %nve noVl Had' four years' experience of the latt«r phase, and. we have "learned wEabHa/ff interest; ■iiz.'Walter Johnston, ,, Jbas . .exliibited. -> int out wants and; progresg. W v .has r ,ag^ n " an axe to grind," and for .tie. Becon'd time we are to be. treated-ijtb'i thtf farce, "cßeforethe Election." * But perhaps some of your readers have never feearcithe origin: of that' •upgestive phrase having "an axe to grind/ »nd whioK J3 iq particularly Applicable; to. thg..y6xing ( ' manj:ih "quesiiion. .Benjamin franklin; relateVM lumself tliat wionja boy ; on his way^to schbqi he: was Btop'ped by a . man standing at I* 'grinastone,'.' whotafVer". lavishingall tinds of encoiiiium's' aipqii hini| begged of him to turn the" handle whUe he ground an^axe. .. Fr«iklin urged that he would be late for schQol, I .b,utJ.he' man was fo pressing and so flattering, that his scuupleß were eTercomeAand/the request botri■ylied with. When the operation had been ■completed, to the astonishment of the emIjryo pHilbiiopher, tb^ ungrateful scoundrel *urned upon him, an^ soundly berated him idla^lazy 1 propenisitiei, and rudely fOr^eredhim off to school. A nod is as $wd ai t wint to a. blind horse, and I anagine m the pr-eseiit 'stkfce of affairs I the' •^lectors will not find it hurd to discover irhichis the boy, and which tlie gninder ■pf the axe. A. .fejy; | ggo^ ancl ,Mr. Johnston was'willingto^resignr sooner than risk the inoonvenjence of a visit to the barbarians Whoin' he had the misfortune to represent. .Bajy^n. he,; knew that. ■. lip - was quite «»fe:in;*w(»9';gp > as he oouli stick to hia perch ; fpC.» couple of years. c [Times Jiavechahgea,sbe"Has been compelled to descend from his roost ; political- ostracißation stares him m tihe face; and what. is. inthe result— why, 'that he wishes 'mosib anxiously to : visit Jhe.ie.leetsrs; m their very hearthf ' and* homes^ and " so .does, Mrs. Johnston." It takes ' two . poisons „tp be. parties to a "bargamland I imagirietliat the dissolution having, happily terminated the partnership between. Mx. . Johnston and this constiuencyf the latter will not'be likely to have further truck with go Undesirable a customer. I will swatch with" sbirie interest to see Whether,..the,;' grey mare "Jwill win the race fqr her' fitiibie coinpanibh ;'a3 for .my part I am determmed thati. notWng short of the bribe given! to Sjbeele the butcher, by; "tie 1 Duchess dif DeTonstiire Tsrhen canrassing ; for Charles Jafnes Foi, will secqre my vote, .and how; w.oiild Mr. Johnston liko that" ?— lam ifec., 1 ' ; ; " •:■ ■-:'■ '■• •'■■■" J i- ; '_ > MTJGMJuripiir;