THREE:In the market-place, where the hustings stood, a dense throng was packing itself, jostling and shoving, andReuben saw to his dismay as he drove up to the London Tradershowing strong Radical tendencies. Several Conservative banners waved from the windows of the public-house"MacDonald the Farmer's Friend""MacDonald and Protection""Wheat at seventy shillings a quarter""Ratepayers! beware of Radical pickpockets." These had all been prepared at the beginning of the contest. The Radical banners bore but one device"The Scott's Float Toll-gate." It waved everywhere, and any other banner which appeared in the streets was immediately seized and broken, the bearer being made to suffer so horribly for his convictions, that soon nobody could be found to carry one.
