"It is unexpected," said the doctor, "but it is thought there will be a sharp contest for the seat." "And are you a Liberal or a Conservative, Mr Riddell ?" asked Mrs Patrick, thinking it time that unfortunate youth was again tempted into the conversation.
"A Liberal, ma'am," replied Riddell.

"Oh! boys are generally Conservatives, are they not ?" She asked this question in a tone as if she expected him to try to deceive her in his answer.

However, he evaded it by replying bashfully, "I hope not." "And pray," said Miss Stringer, putting down her cup, and turning full on her victim, "will you favour us with your reasons for such a hope, Mr Riddell ?" Poor Riddell! he little thought what he had let himself in for.

If there was one subject the two ladies were rabid on it was politics.
They proceeded to pounce upon, devour, and annihilate the unlucky head classic without mercy.

They made him contradict himself twice or thrice in every sentence; they proved to him clearly that he knew nothing at all of what he was talking about, and generally gave him to understand that he was an impertinent, conceited puppy for presuming to have an opinion of his own on such matters! Riddell came out of the ordeal very much as a duck comes out of the hands of the poulterer.