'Be hanged to your aristocrats!' Ponto said, in some conversation we had regarding the family at Carabas, between whom and the Evergreens there was a feud.

'When I first came into the county--it was the year before Sir John Buff contested in the Blue interest--the Marquis, then Lord St.
Michaels, who, of course, was Orange to the core, paid me and Mrs.Ponto such attentions, that I fairly confess I was taken in by the old humbug, and thought that I'd met with a rare neighbour.

'Gad, Sir, we used to get pines from Carabas, and pheasants from Carabas, and it was--"Ponto, when will you come over and shoot ?"--and--"Ponto, our pheasants want thinning,"-- and my Lady would insist upon her dear Mrs.Ponto coming over to Carabas to sleep, and put me I don't know to what expense for turbans and velvet gowns for my wife's toilette.

Well, Sir, the election takes place, and though I was always a Liberal, personal friendship of course induces me to plump for St.Michaels, who comes in at the head of the poll.

Next year, Mrs.P.insists upon going to town--with lodgings in Clarges Street at ten pounds a week, with a hired brougham, and new dresses for herself and the girls, and the deuce and all to pay.