A Cheap Seat. They Thought He Was Joking.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 183, 18 December 1886, Page 13

A Cheap Seat. They Thought He Was Joking.

Probably the cheapest county seat ever secured by a candidate was West AberdeonBbire (Scotland). A noted breeder of polled cattle, the late Mr McCombio, of Tillyfour, had an ambition to be in Parliament, and Baid so. People thought he really did not mean it ; and when at market, or social gathering, Mr McCombie put the question, as he did usually, ' Weel, supposing I waß to come oot, wad ye support me 1" there was always the ready response, "Of course we would." "Weel, then," said "Tillies" (as he was named after his farm), " pit yer name doon here," and he pulled from hia pocket a penny passbook well adorned with autographs. It w^s only currying the joke a little farther ; and . Tillyfour'e passbook was farther enriched with electors' aigtu. turoa. One fine morning Aberdeenslure woke up to find itselt divided into two ridings ; and a day later M- McCombie issued his address to the electors of the Western Division. Following the address was a requisition most numerous'y and influentially signed, the gleanings of many markets, cattle shows and fairs — in tact, the contents of the penny passbook. I well remember the morning the names were published (observed a correspondent). One Liberal remonstrated with Tillyfour. "Man, we thocht ye wai only joking," " Woel," replied " Tillies," quletiy " ye were maybe joking ; but aw wiana." He was elected — hie bill waa £70 —and a sensible, useful member he modo ; though the Saxon understood little of the Doric which he used on the rare occasions he addressed the House. It was Mr McOombie who had frequent visits from her Majesty to see his famous Tillyfour herd of black polled cattle, the "old humlies," with their sousy sides, broad backs level as a table, aweot heads, and placid eye* , aud wearing coata sleek as West of England broadcloth. When the Queen came, Mr McCombie had his cattle ranged en a sloping ground, fringed by trees ; and right well they looked against the background of green Ho made himself quite at home with the Sovereign of these realms, who seemed to enjoy hi 3 homely aud uuaffected ways. '' Wad her ftlaijeetv step in, and tak' a cup of tea ?" "Her Maijesty " did ; and "Tillyfour " kept chatting away to her about his u bit beasties " Tillyfour called on an elector ; the stern old Radical turned upon him "But, man, ye're a Tory. I might vote for ye if ye wore a Liberal ; but I canna vote for a Tory." " Weel, weel," Mr McCombie made answer, " yell no find me stubborn on chat point either."