attack on the back bench. The snuff-box stormed. Mr. Monk lod the attack, delivering a speech that sounded so like a Bishop’s charge that the two Reverend Gentlemen who have seats in the House for the first time in their lives began to feel at home. The attack was made under cover of a Motion to amend the rule which prohibits opposed business being taken after half-past twelve. Mr. Monk highly sarcastic. Avoided direct reference to Mr. Warton, alluding to him as “ a gentleman of high position and long experience in the Senate.” Mr. Whitley begins to think that, after all, Mr. Monk is not without discernment.
Mr. Warton acted with the dignity of a great chieftain. He disdained to take part in a debate personal to himself, though when it
was mentioned that he had blocked every Bill on the Orders that Mr. IS roc; ah had not previously marked for his own, and that on that very day he had thus dealt with thirteen Orders of the Day and four Notices of Motion, the crimson flush of pride suffused his ingenuous countenance, and, burying his head in his snuff-box, he did. not emerge for fully a moment.
Mr. WniTLEY says if this sort of thing goes on, the Snuff-Box Party will have to appoint a Whip, like the other parties in the House. He really cannot take on himself the full burden of work which the prodigious activity of his Chief devolves upon him.
Business done.—Mr. Warton charged with misdemeanor. Got off by flaw in the indictment.
Wednesday Afternoon.—Mr. Bigoar has been thinking over the case of the Chief Secretary. Took an opportunity this afternoon of communicating result to deeply interested House. With left thumb in the arm-hole of his waistcoat, right hand extended the better to point the moral, Mr. Biggar “ suggests ” to Mr. Forster “the propriety of withdraAving from a position for which he is notor’usly unfit.” Just the least tone of regret in Mr. Biggar’s melodious voioe as he mentions this little eircumstanco. It has
plainly wounded him in some past time when it first dawned upon him. But, in the meantime, it has become such a familiar faot, and is, as he says, “ so notor’us, that time has partly healed the wound, and Mr. Biggar feels that other people, including Mr. Forster, will be as callous as himself. By way of hastening Mr. Forster’s re
tirement, Mr. Biggar thinks it well to put trio Bcrew on a little. “ I feel bound to add,” he says, using that judioial phraseology which in his mouth always calls to mind an ourang-outang wigged and gowned, and seated on the bench of the Lord Chief Justice, “that me and my friends will be under the necessity of speaking very plainly about the Right Hon. Gentleman when the resolution of my Hon. friend the Member for Longford comes on.”
The House tittered, but Mr. Forster did not seem to see any joke. Sitting Avith his legs stretched out at a perilous angle, his arms tightly folded, and nis chin sunk on his chest, he did not seem to knoAV that Mr. Biggar was speaking.
Business done.—Welsh Sunday Closing Bill read a Second Time.
Thursday Night.—Sir Frederick Roberts, seated under the Gallery of the House of Commons to-night, caught only a baok view of
Mr. Heai.y. This Avas a pity. Few pleasanter sights than to behold the Hon. Member for Wexford with both hands disposed with loose
elegance in his trousers’ pockets, and his pleasing countenance turned towards the Speaker, the while he snaps forth a few flashes of amiability. It is the proud and honourable boast of the Irish Members that at some period or other they have all been in prison.
Mr. Healy, by severe treatment of his hair, succeeds in conveying the impression that he has only just come out. Also he Avears a truoulent eyeglass, a matter not Avorthy of remark, except for the significant fact that people insist upon speculating why lie should
do so. In ordinary cases the explanation would be that he can see better with it. In the case of Mr. Heady opinion is divided as to whether he wears it to spite Mr. O’Donnell or to vex Mr. Chamberlain.
To-night he flew at higher game. Lord Hartington proposes a vote of thanks to the gallant army of Afghanistan, Avhich Sir Stan
ford Northcote seconds, and, as it seems, all the House cheers. Grand opportunity this for Mr. Heady to flout the Saxon. Nobody minds him, andSir Frederick under the Gallery smiles genially upon the back view presented to him.
“ What can you expect from a pig but a grunt,” Sir Pat O’Brien says as he passes out, quoting, I believe, from the pages of Ossian.
Sir Wilfrid Laavson strings a few good jokes on the theme, and Mr. Ashton Dilke, bursting with gratitude for a helping hand given him at election time by nis colleague in the representation of Newcastle, has a fling at Mr. Coaven. After this virtuously indig
nant speech, every one expected to find Mr. Dilke in the Division Lobby with Mr. Heady. But having fired his shot, he ran away.
Business done.—Yote of thanks to Afghanistan Army passed by 30-1 votes against 20.
Friday Night.—Called in to-night to see how the Lords are getting on. Found them taking their pleasure sadly. At the moment day not done, and gas not lit. A solemn gloom pervaded the Chamber, not to be dissipated by the cheery speech of Lord DALnousiE. Al
ways fancy the young Earl could, an he would, dance a hornpipe with great grace. Whether addressing Commons or Peers, as Mem
ber for Liverpool or Earl of Dalhousie, always rests left hand^ on hip with right foot thrown a little forward, ready to start at the first note of the fiddle.
Lord Granville moving uneasily from end to end of front Opposition Bench. Duke of Richmond and Gordon sitting where a greater than he has sat. Lord Salisbury enters and flings himself down at the remote end of the Bench as if Leaderships were naught to him. Lord Cranbrook flanking the Duke of Richmond, with the Duke of Marlborough between them. The three talk earnestly,
doubtless about Randolph, for a proud expression lights up the face of his Grace the father. The only Disraeli Parliament now pos
sesses, sits at the table in Avig and gown, docketing Bills and making entries. Lord Sherbrook comes in and feels his way through the gloom, his white hair gleaming as he moves along like the orifiamme of Henry of Navarre.
But the oddest thing is the naughty hoy in the corner. Rather a nice plump boy, though his face bears evident traces of weeping, and of the rubbing of knuckles in the comers of eyes. What he has been doing I don’t know. But there he sits, on a sort of ottoman, all by himself, outside the range of Benches. He sits on the edge of the ottoman, but only his toes reach the ground, displaying a glimpse of nice white stooking over neatly tied shoe. I suppose he has been playing marbles at work time, or making faces at the Marquis of Salisbury, or chalking things on Lord Granville’s back. But whatever be his offence, there he sits, trying to look as if he didn’t mind it muoh.
Lord Rosebery tells mo it is Lord Redesdale, Chairman of Committees seated on the Woolsack, and temporarily presiding in
the absenoe of the Lord Chancellor. But Lord Rosebery always was a wag.
FASHIONABLE NURSERY RHYME.
Old Mother Hubbard
Hangs in my cupboard,
Very AEsthetic in Tone; What shall I wear
When it’s threadbare,
And the new fashion is gone ?
PROFESSIONAL DUELLING.
The two most renoAvned fencers of the age have been “ having it out” at Vesinet, with the meagre result of “having it in” only twice, and superficially. The San-Malato-Pons event has been Homeric in the judgment of Paris. Never was cold steel discussed with greater warmth; when the flat blade of the Italian was rejected.
Rentes fell flat; and when the Gaul’s triangular pinking-iron seemed first favourite, an international conflagration (what with Tunis, and the rest) appeared imminent. Special reporters followed the fighters to Vesinet, and special editions chronicled the “Result,” like a race. The Sicilian took Avater once, and the Parisian drew blood twice, and then they embraced, and even De Cassagnac breathed peace. Viewed by these lights, the noble art of fence seems vastly superior to the noble art of de-fence, inasmuch as its essential effect is to hurt nobody, not even the people who practise it.
Two-and-Healy.
Mr. Warton acted with the dignity of a great chieftain. He disdained to take part in a debate personal to himself, though when it
was mentioned that he had blocked every Bill on the Orders that Mr. IS roc; ah had not previously marked for his own, and that on that very day he had thus dealt with thirteen Orders of the Day and four Notices of Motion, the crimson flush of pride suffused his ingenuous countenance, and, burying his head in his snuff-box, he did. not emerge for fully a moment.
Mr. WniTLEY says if this sort of thing goes on, the Snuff-Box Party will have to appoint a Whip, like the other parties in the House. He really cannot take on himself the full burden of work which the prodigious activity of his Chief devolves upon him.
Business done.—Mr. Warton charged with misdemeanor. Got off by flaw in the indictment.
Wednesday Afternoon.—Mr. Bigoar has been thinking over the case of the Chief Secretary. Took an opportunity this afternoon of communicating result to deeply interested House. With left thumb in the arm-hole of his waistcoat, right hand extended the better to point the moral, Mr. Biggar “ suggests ” to Mr. Forster “the propriety of withdraAving from a position for which he is notor’usly unfit.” Just the least tone of regret in Mr. Biggar’s melodious voioe as he mentions this little eircumstanco. It has
plainly wounded him in some past time when it first dawned upon him. But, in the meantime, it has become such a familiar faot, and is, as he says, “ so notor’us, that time has partly healed the wound, and Mr. Biggar feels that other people, including Mr. Forster, will be as callous as himself. By way of hastening Mr. Forster’s re
tirement, Mr. Biggar thinks it well to put trio Bcrew on a little. “ I feel bound to add,” he says, using that judioial phraseology which in his mouth always calls to mind an ourang-outang wigged and gowned, and seated on the bench of the Lord Chief Justice, “that me and my friends will be under the necessity of speaking very plainly about the Right Hon. Gentleman when the resolution of my Hon. friend the Member for Longford comes on.”
The House tittered, but Mr. Forster did not seem to see any joke. Sitting Avith his legs stretched out at a perilous angle, his arms tightly folded, and nis chin sunk on his chest, he did not seem to knoAV that Mr. Biggar was speaking.
Business done.—Welsh Sunday Closing Bill read a Second Time.
Thursday Night.—Sir Frederick Roberts, seated under the Gallery of the House of Commons to-night, caught only a baok view of
Mr. Heai.y. This Avas a pity. Few pleasanter sights than to behold the Hon. Member for Wexford with both hands disposed with loose
elegance in his trousers’ pockets, and his pleasing countenance turned towards the Speaker, the while he snaps forth a few flashes of amiability. It is the proud and honourable boast of the Irish Members that at some period or other they have all been in prison.
Mr. Healy, by severe treatment of his hair, succeeds in conveying the impression that he has only just come out. Also he Avears a truoulent eyeglass, a matter not Avorthy of remark, except for the significant fact that people insist upon speculating why lie should
do so. In ordinary cases the explanation would be that he can see better with it. In the case of Mr. Heady opinion is divided as to whether he wears it to spite Mr. O’Donnell or to vex Mr. Chamberlain.
To-night he flew at higher game. Lord Hartington proposes a vote of thanks to the gallant army of Afghanistan, Avhich Sir Stan
ford Northcote seconds, and, as it seems, all the House cheers. Grand opportunity this for Mr. Heady to flout the Saxon. Nobody minds him, andSir Frederick under the Gallery smiles genially upon the back view presented to him.
“ What can you expect from a pig but a grunt,” Sir Pat O’Brien says as he passes out, quoting, I believe, from the pages of Ossian.
Sir Wilfrid Laavson strings a few good jokes on the theme, and Mr. Ashton Dilke, bursting with gratitude for a helping hand given him at election time by nis colleague in the representation of Newcastle, has a fling at Mr. Coaven. After this virtuously indig
nant speech, every one expected to find Mr. Dilke in the Division Lobby with Mr. Heady. But having fired his shot, he ran away.
Business done.—Yote of thanks to Afghanistan Army passed by 30-1 votes against 20.
Friday Night.—Called in to-night to see how the Lords are getting on. Found them taking their pleasure sadly. At the moment day not done, and gas not lit. A solemn gloom pervaded the Chamber, not to be dissipated by the cheery speech of Lord DALnousiE. Al
ways fancy the young Earl could, an he would, dance a hornpipe with great grace. Whether addressing Commons or Peers, as Mem
ber for Liverpool or Earl of Dalhousie, always rests left hand^ on hip with right foot thrown a little forward, ready to start at the first note of the fiddle.
Lord Granville moving uneasily from end to end of front Opposition Bench. Duke of Richmond and Gordon sitting where a greater than he has sat. Lord Salisbury enters and flings himself down at the remote end of the Bench as if Leaderships were naught to him. Lord Cranbrook flanking the Duke of Richmond, with the Duke of Marlborough between them. The three talk earnestly,
doubtless about Randolph, for a proud expression lights up the face of his Grace the father. The only Disraeli Parliament now pos
sesses, sits at the table in Avig and gown, docketing Bills and making entries. Lord Sherbrook comes in and feels his way through the gloom, his white hair gleaming as he moves along like the orifiamme of Henry of Navarre.
But the oddest thing is the naughty hoy in the corner. Rather a nice plump boy, though his face bears evident traces of weeping, and of the rubbing of knuckles in the comers of eyes. What he has been doing I don’t know. But there he sits, on a sort of ottoman, all by himself, outside the range of Benches. He sits on the edge of the ottoman, but only his toes reach the ground, displaying a glimpse of nice white stooking over neatly tied shoe. I suppose he has been playing marbles at work time, or making faces at the Marquis of Salisbury, or chalking things on Lord Granville’s back. But whatever be his offence, there he sits, trying to look as if he didn’t mind it muoh.
Lord Rosebery tells mo it is Lord Redesdale, Chairman of Committees seated on the Woolsack, and temporarily presiding in
the absenoe of the Lord Chancellor. But Lord Rosebery always was a wag.
FASHIONABLE NURSERY RHYME.
Old Mother Hubbard
Hangs in my cupboard,
Very AEsthetic in Tone; What shall I wear
When it’s threadbare,
And the new fashion is gone ?
PROFESSIONAL DUELLING.
The two most renoAvned fencers of the age have been “ having it out” at Vesinet, with the meagre result of “having it in” only twice, and superficially. The San-Malato-Pons event has been Homeric in the judgment of Paris. Never was cold steel discussed with greater warmth; when the flat blade of the Italian was rejected.
Rentes fell flat; and when the Gaul’s triangular pinking-iron seemed first favourite, an international conflagration (what with Tunis, and the rest) appeared imminent. Special reporters followed the fighters to Vesinet, and special editions chronicled the “Result,” like a race. The Sicilian took Avater once, and the Parisian drew blood twice, and then they embraced, and even De Cassagnac breathed peace. Viewed by these lights, the noble art of fence seems vastly superior to the noble art of de-fence, inasmuch as its essential effect is to hurt nobody, not even the people who practise it.
Two-and-Healy.