WHENLordRoseberrymakesaspeech,eventhejournalsofhisownpartyreporthiminthefirstpersonandatfulllengthandthisissaidtobethepolitician’ssupremeambition.Havingreachedsuchdistinction,thereisnothinglefthimbutanhonourabledeathandapublicfuneralinWestminsterAbbey.Now,theBlackstableTimesaccordedthishonourtoEdward’sfirsteffortitwasprintedwithnumberlessI’spepperedboldlyoveritthegrammarwascorrected,andthestopsinserted,justasforthemostimportantorators.Edwardboughtadozencopiesandreadthespeechrightthroughineach,toseethathissentimentswerecorrectlyexpressed,andthattherewerenomisprints.HegaveittoBertha,andstoodoverherwhilesheread.
“Lookswell,don’tit?”hesaid.
“Splendid!”
“Bytheway,isAuntPolly’saddress72EliotMansions?”
“Yes.Why?”
Herjawfellasshesawhimrolluphalf-a-dozencopiesoftheBlackstableTimesandaddressthewrapper.
“I’msureshe’dliketoreadmyspeech.AnditmighthurtherfeelingsifsheheardaboutitandI’dnotsentherthereport.”
“Oh,I’msureshe’dliketoseeitverymuch.Butifyousendsixcopiesyou’llhavenoneleft—forotherpeople.”
“Oh,Icaneasilygetmore.TheeditorchaptoldmeIcouldhaveathousandifIliked.I’msendinghersix,becauseIdaresayshe’dliketoforwardsometoherfriends.”
ByreturnofpostcameMissLey’sreply.
MydearEdward,—IperusedallsixcopiesofyourspeechwiththegreatestinterestandIthinkyouwillagreewithmethatitishighproofofitsmeritthatIwasabletoreaditthesixthtimewithasunflaggingattentionasthefirst.Theperoration,indeed,Iamconvincedthatnoacquaintancecouldstale.Itissotruethat“everyEnglishmanhasamother”(supposing,ofcourse,thatanuntimelydeathhasnotrobbedhimofher).Itiscurioushowonedoesnotrealisethetruthofsomethingstilltheyarep