sounded jolliest. In these diversions he was assisted by his good wife (who shared the love of all Coasters, with her husband) and their daughter, Miss Mary Seddon. It was a unique spectacle this, to the few strangers present, to see the Prime Minister of the colony—the man who was a power in the British Empire—exerting himself to add to the people’s enjoyment of the outing. Probably no Premier had ever done such a thing before. Later on, when he visited Ross, it was a sight to see the old men and women surrounding him with gladsome, welcome, and loving looks. One octogenarian hobbled up to Mr. Seddon, and, with tears streaming down his withered cheeks, exclaimed as the Premier shook him heartily by the hand, ‘Oh, Mr. Seddon, thank God I have been permitted to see you before I die.’ Before leaving Ross upon that occasion Mr. Seddon, who had just returned from a long and wearisome journey to the south, rushed up and down all the streets, and entered shops and dwellings to bid farewell to all the folk. These are the characteristics which endeared Mr. Seddon to his constituents, and there was no sordid element in their love.”
Two stories are told to illustrate his hold on the affections of the people of the West Coast. It is related that one of his political opponents once approached an old miner with a request that the man would give him his vote in a parliamentary election. The old fellow looked at his questioner with a startled glance. “Is Dick dead, then?” he said. The other story states that an Old West Coaster, in the last days of a lingering illness, was visited by a friend from the East Coast, who inquired whether he needed anything to add to his comfort in his few remaining days. “No,” was the reply; “Dick’s seen to all that.”
His birthday, and May 1st, the anniversary of the day he was sworn in as Premier, were red-letter days in the colony. On those days, he was compelled to discard any idea of business. He had no time to do anything but receive the congratulatory messages which streams of telegraph-messengers brought to his room all day long. The following are a few of the messages he received on the last May Day he saw:—
“Heartiest congratulations, and wish you continued health and happiness; from an old pensioner.”
