Quartering

: Soldiers.

At an election for Shrewsbury, in the reign of George I., a
half-pay officer, who was a nonresident burgess, was, with some other

voters, brought down from London at the expense of Mr. Kynaston, one of the

candidates. The old campaigner regularly attended and feasted at the houses

which were opened for the electors in Mr. Kynaston's interest until the

last day of the polling, when, to the astonishment of the party, he gave

his vote to his opponent. For this strange conduct he was reproached by his

quondam companions, and asked what could have induced him to act so

dishonourable a part as to become an apostate. "An apostate," answered the

old soldier, "an apostate! by no means--I made up my mind about whom I

would vote for before I set out upon this campaign, but I remembered

Marlborough's constant advice to us when I served with the army in

Flanders, 'Always quarter upon the enemy, my lads--always quarter upon the

enemy.'"



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