not be persevered in. SAUNDERSON perceiving his mistake acquiesced, and DON'T KEIR HARDIE went on to final ignominious collapse. When in crowded House question put that Address be presented, a solitary cry of "No" answered the loud shout " Aye.' House cleared for division; but when opportunity of taking final step presented itself, it turned out that HARDIE Didn't Keir to take it.

"Now if this were France in the days when the Empire was tottering to its fall," said SARK, "I should suspect the secret police to have put up DON'T KEIR to play their game in stirring up embers of popularitity of Imperial Family. In England to-day, of course, no necessity for such manoeuvre. But if by outside influence the popularity the Prince of WALES has worked out for himself could be increased, DON'T KEIR HARDIE's the man to do it.'

The Four Busy (Budget) B's.

Business done.-Clause XVIII. added to Budget Bill.

Wednesday.-GRANDOLPH sails to-day in the track of COLUMBUS, only going much farther. He will cross Continent and Pacific to pay a morning call on the MIKADO; afterwards to India and Burma. I want," he says, with certain proud pathos, " to see the frontier I extended, and Burma which I annexed."

You remember the old French song written about GRANDOLPH'S great ancestor? It was sung as a lullaby to the little son of LOUIS THE SIXTEENTH, and NAPOLEON never mounted his horse for the fight without humming the air,

MARLBROOK s'en va-t'en guerreMironton, mironton, mirontaine ! MARLBROOK s'en va-t'en guerre...

Ne sais quand reviendra! Ne sais quand reviendra! Ne sais quand reviendra!

There is a sad last verse to the old ballad. But we all hope to see our GRANDOLPH back again, bringing his sheaves with him in the shape of renewed health and strength. Business done.-Budget.

Thursday.-DON'T KEIR HARDIE confided to House to-night the interesting fact that in particular he Don't Keir for the Royal Family, and is "indisposed to associate himself" with effort to do them special honour. Like old Eccles in Caste, he upbraids the baby in the cradle with being a young aristocrat. Yet there are limits even to his uncompromising Republicanism. The question before House is the presentation to HER MAJESTY of address of congratulation on birth of son of Duke and Duchess of YORK. "If I had the opportunity of meeting the parents," says DON'T KEIR, "I should be pleased to join in the ordinary congratulations of the occasion.' He did not hesitate, standing in his place in Parliament as representative of the electors of 'Am, to add that he "had been delighted to learn that the child was a fairly healthy one." Beyond that, stern principle would not permit him to pass.

Note that he felt constrained to modify even this approval of proceedings at White Lodge by introduction of the word "fairly." ASQUITH, who knows all about it, seemed for moment inclined to resent this aspersion on the perfect soundness of the object of his recent attentions; on reflection he let it pass. SAUNDERSON, of whom House has seen lamentably little of late, was under less complete self-restraint. When DoN'T KEIR turned his attention upon Prince of WALES, proposing to appraise his value to the nation, SAUNDERSON leaped to his feet, and moved that "the hon. Member be no longer heard."

A difficult moment this. The Motion being made, the SPEAKER must put it from the Chair. Many Members, whilst justly angered with DON'T KEIR's grotesque performance, would have felt bound to resent what might be construed as attempt to throttle free speech. There would have been long and angry debate; a succession of scenes; and DON'T KEIR HARDIE would have been triumphantly advertised. Happily, though, strictly considered, irregularly, the SQUIRE OF MALWOOD interposed; expressed hope that Motion would

Scene from "Caste," adapted for representation in the House of Commons.

Eccles (played by Don't Keir H-rd-e) addresses the Royal Infant. "Everybody in the House is sacrificed for you! And to think that a Workthe Banded Brothers for the Regeneration of Human Kind, by means of equal ing Man, a Member of the House of Commons, and one of the Committee of diffusion of intelligence and equal division of property, should want the price of half a pint, while you are lying in the lap of luxury!" &c., &c., &c.

Business done.-QUEEN congratulated on birth of latest greatgrandson.

Friday.-Been much struck through week by appearance of stranger in Speaker's Gallery. Every night about quarter of an hour after questions over he has come in; gone out again a little after eight, about time SPEAKER, when in chair, leaves for his chop. Comes back punctually in half an hour; remains till fifteen or twenty minutes before progress is reported, and Chairman of Committees makes way for SPEAKER. Something about him familiar, though never before that I remember have I seen that stubbly red beard, or those green, goggly spectacles. Quite fascinated me. To-night went up and sat in gallery behind him.

At ten minutes past eight, amendment before Committee disposed of, the stranger rose; heard him exclaim under his breath. "Order! Order!" saw him clutch at imaginary robe, and stride forth with stately tread. Truth burst upon me with a flash. It was the SPEAKER!

"You're a dangerous person to have about the premises, TOBY," he said as we made our way by circuitous route to Speaker's Court. "Every day for last fortnight I have written out myself an order for the Speaker's Gallery, have passed the doorkeepers unobserved, and remained hour after hour unnoticed. Then your eagle eye falls upon me and all is lost. Pray don't let the secret go any further. Fact is, for weeks and weeks I've been shut out of my proper place by this Budget Bill. Questions last half an hour or an hour. Then House goes into Committee, and I'm shunted save for few moments after midnight, when I adjourn the House. Couldn't stand it any longer. Might as well be in Kamtchatka. So have had recourse to this innocent device, and have thoroughly enjoyed my evenings."

Business done.-Once through Committee on Budget Bill. Pick up dropped threads next week.

For which I do commit into your hand

The unstained sword COLERIDGE was used to bear;

With this remembrance,-That you use the same
With the like bold, just, and impartial spirit
As you have shown before. There is my hand!
Second Part of King Henry the Fourth,
Act V. Sc. 2 (slightly altered).

As HARRY unto GASCOIGNE gave,
So Punch to RUSSELL gladly gives
That Sword which frights but rogue and slave,
By which our ordered freedom lives;
And gives therewith his hand in token
Of pleasure more than may be spoken.

Nought have you "done that misbecame Your place, your person," or your power. 'Tis a right crown of crescent fame,

Of fitness full befitting dower,

That you, my Lord, "have foremost band"
In dealing justice round the land.

If set in quaint Shakspearian guise,
Not less the motley-wearing Sage
Gaily presents to serious eyes

A Living Picture for the Age.

So "take it earnest wed with sport," *
From one who, stooping not to court,
Loves e'en to praise in merry sort!

TENNYSON'S The Day Dream.

MODESTY.

Housewife. "WELL, IF I GIVE YOU SOME BREAKFAST, YOU'LL HAVE TO EARN IT BY CHOPPING SOME WOOD FOR ME."

"

Tramp. "I'D LIKE TER 'BLIGE YER, LADY. BUT, BLESHYER 'ART, 'TAIN'T FER THE LIKES O ME TER FOLLER IN THE FOOTSTEPS O' MR. GLADSTONE!"

THE German Derby (61,000 marks) was won at Hamburg by Baron MÜNCHAUSEN's Spider. SPECIALLY ARRANGED MOTTO FOR THE The Baron has done many wonderful things VICTORIA STEAMBOAT ASSOCIATION'S NEW in his lifetime (vide the history of his advenVESSEL THE PALM." "Palma, quæ tures), and it was a foregone conclusion that meruit, ferat,"-(i.e., Let The Palm carry if he ran a horse at the Derby he was bound as many as she was constructed to carry, and not only to win, but to make something more not more). than his mark.

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