Thursday, August 9th.—­When the House on two successive occasions rejected Proportional Representation it was generally thought that nothing more would be heard of the other proposals for securing minority representation.  To-night, however, after a brisk debate, the “Alternative vote” in three-cornered contests was saved in a free division by a single vote; and it was further decided that “P.R.” itself should be adopted at University elections, despite the unanimous opposition of the University Representatives.

* * * * *

THE CHOICE.

The bright August sun certainly made the dining-room paper look dingy.  It was a plain, self-coloured paper, but we were rather attached to it, and didn’t like the idea of a change.

But there seemed no help for it, so I arranged to leave my office early on Friday afternoon, meet Alison at the Marble Arch tube station and go with her to choose a new paper.

When we reached the wall-paperer’s lair we were ushered by an immaculate personage into a room that looked more like the dining-room of a private house than a part of business premises.

“Perhaps,” I said, in an awed whisper, “you don’t care to have anything to do with such trifling things as—­er—­wall-paper?”

“Indeed we do,” said the nobleman.  “Most important things, wall-papers.  Where did you want it for?”

“For a room in my house, of course,” I said.  “Not for the garden.”

“Oh, not for the garden.  And what sort of house is yours?” he asked.

“A very nice house,” I said.

“I meant what was the style of the house—­Jacobean, Georgian?”

“Brixtonian rococo outwardly,” I said, “as far as I can judge; but very snug inside.  No doubt you could show us something we should like which would also satisfy your sense of propriety.”

“I think it might be managed,” he said, waving his hand towards two or three giant books of patterns.

“What we want,” I said, “is something meaty.”

“Ah, for the dining-room,” he said.

“Well, it’s a courtesy title,” I said, “but really in these hard times we have reduced economy to such a fine art that I thought a wall-paper with body in it might help matters.”

“I think I catch the idea,” said the marquis.  “Something that would make you feel more satisfied after dinner than you otherwise would feel, as it were.”

“My dear Sir,” I said, “you have hit it exactly.  Yours is a sympathetic nature.  How readily you have divined my thoughts!  No doubt you too are suffering.”

He sighed almost audibly.  “How is the room furnished?” he said.

“Leading features,” I said, “a Welsh dresser, rush-bottomed chairs, gate-legged table, bookcases—­”

“Saxe-blue carpet,” said Alison.

“A most important detail,” Lord Bayswater said.  “Don’t you think something of a chintzy nature would ... etc.”