OLD MORALITY might have moved Closure at twelve minutes to seven, and carried Clause 3.  Committee naturally expected he would.  But OLD MORALITY had another card up his sleeve.  At very last moment, whilst Members trooped out, and it was thought all was over, OLD MORALITY gave notice of motion to take the whole time of House, including Tuesday and Friday nights’ evening sittings.

“I think you had them there,” I said, as we walked across to Grosvenor Place.

“Yes, TOBY,” he said, a little flush mantling his modest face; “we’ve given them rope enough, and now we’ll hang them.  They’ve had their run, now we’ll take ours.  It’s the main thing I always look to.  Never forget when I was still in the seminary writing out copy of verses about a shipwreck.  A graphic scene; the riven vessel, the raging seas, the panic-stricken crowd on deck, and then this little self-drawn picture of the sole survivor, the one man left to tell the story: 

  Some fell upon their bended knees
    And others fell down fainting,
  But I fell to on bread and cheese;
    For that, Sir, was the main thing.

It’s the bread and cheese I look to, TOBY, dear boy.  For others the glory of debate, the prize of Parliamentary oratory.  Give me the bread and cheese of seeing business advancing, and I’m content.”

Business done.—­Once more Committee on Irish Land Bill.

Thursday.—­A pretty little game on to-night.  OLD MORALITY moved his Resolution taking power to appropriate Tuesdays and Fridays evening sittings, and all Wednesdays for Irish Land Bill.  In ordinary circumstances there would have been stormy protest led from Front Opposition Bench against this inroad on time of private Members.  Other fish to fry to-night.  Wednesday week assigned for Second Reading of Woman’s Suffrage Bill; if Government take that day for Irish Land Bill, obviously can’t be utilised for furtherance of Woman’s Rights.  This an awkward question for some Members; don’t like it, but daren’t vote against it.  Here’s opportunity of getting rid of it by side-wind.  Not necessary in arranging proceedings to mention Suffrage Bill, or even Wednesday, 13th of May.  It was principle for which Members struggled; “the principle of uniformity,” as Mr. G. beautifully put it.  “Let us,” he said, though perhaps not quite in this phrase, “go the whole hog or none; take all the Wednesdays, or leave them.”

Pretty to see OLD MORALITY protesting against this unprecedented access of generosity.  The very picture, as MCEWAN said, of a good man struggling with the adversity of overwhelming good fortune.  Was prepared to take a Wednesday here and there:  but, really, too much to appropriate everyone.  “Not at all—­not at all,” said Mr. G.

But it was only under compulsion of a Division that he consented to accept the endowment.  In meanwhile, the Woman’s Suffrage Debate on Wednesday week snuffed out, and final opportunity of Session lost.