It reminded him of the one he had in his own pocket, which he was beginning to fear that he would not have an opportunity of producing today after all.
'Ballcartridge Rent Dat.
'The hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Ballcartridge occurred yesterday and in accordance with custom the Duke of Ballcartridge handed to the authorities the little flag which he annually presents to the State in virtue of his tenure of the vast tract of this country which was presented to one of his ancestors--the first Duke--in addition to his salary, for his services at the battle of Ballcartridge.
'The flag--which is the only rent the Duke has to pay for the great estate which brings him in several hundreds of thousands of pounds per annum--is a small tricoloured one with a staff surmounted by an eagle.
'The Duke of Blankmind also presents the State with a little coloured silk flag every year in return for being allowed to retain possession of that part of England which was presented--in addition to his salary--to one of His Grace's very remote ancestors, for his services at the battle of Commissariat--in the Netherlands.
'The Duke of Southward is another instance,' continued Owen.

'He "owns" miles of the country we speak of as "ours".

Much of his part consists of confiscated monastery lands which were stolen from the owners by King Henry VIII and presented to the ancestors of the present Duke.
'Whether it was right or wrong that these parts of our country should ever have been given to those people--the question whether those ancestor persons were really deserving cases or not--is a thing we need not trouble ourselves about now.

But the present holders are certainly not deserving people.

They do not even take the trouble to pretend they are.