to an Amendment.  The joy is all the greater to me, since it is newly acquired.  For years I sat below the Gangway, striving to catch the SPEAKER’s eye in competition with the herd, and when I succeeded Members either howled at me or left the House.  Now I speak without waiting for the SPEAKER’s call, and the House listens attentively to the utterances of the Minister for Agriculture.  That’s better than salary paid quarterly:  worth paying for as I say.  Still it’s not pleasant to have LABBY seriously proposing to stop your wages.  Wish he’d try it on someone else.  There’s PLUNKET for example; must put him up in that quarter.”

Business done.—­In Committee of Supply.

[Illustration:  A Salmon Fisher.]

Thursday.—­A long dull night varied by occasional squalls.  An immense relief to Hon. Members, after sitting through an hour discussing Alienation of Crown Rights in Salmon Fishing in Scotland, on which CALDWELL delivers discourse, to have opportunity of exercising their lungs.  MORTON a benefactor in this respect.  As soon as ALPHEUS CLEOPHAS is discovered on his feet there goes forth a howl that shakes the building.  To-night rather awkward circumstance followed.  ALPHEUS CLEOPHAS rising for the eighth time, Members broke forth into agonised howl that lasted several minutes.  Was stopped by sudden commotion at the Bar.  Engineer PRIM rushed wildly in, gesticulating towards the astonished Chair, and disappeared.  A body of workmen appearing mysteriously from depths beneath House, tumultuously crossed the doorway, and also vanished.  Presently news came that flood of water was raging down staircase; gradually truth got at; a large water-main had burst in Upper Committee Corridor; cracked at startling sound of outburst upon ALPHEUS CLEOPHAS’s re-appearance.

“This is all very well,” said PLUNKET.  “I am myself no enthusiastic admirer of MORTON’s Parliamentary eloquence.  Still, as First Commissioner of Works, I feel this thing must be discouraged.  Must draw the line somewhere.  Can’t have our water-mains bursting with vicarious indignation because MORTON would speak eight times in Committee of Supply.”

Business done.—­Committee of Supply.

Friday.—­In Lords to-night, STANLEY OF ALDERLEY, L.C.C., gave fresh advertisement to CALDERON’s picture, “St. Elizabeth of Hungary.” Not a pleasant subject, from any point of view, artistic or moral.  Everybody but well-meaning people like STANLEY OF ALDERLEY, glad to drop it.  He brings it forward at this late day; tries to make the MARKISS responsible for whole business.  The MARKISS protests that STANLEY has had the advantage of him; hasn’t even seen the picture.  “The only idea I have been able to form of it,” he said to delighted House, “is derived from a picture in Punch, in which ZÆO is showing her back to the Members of the County Council.”  Lords don’t often indulge in hearty laughter; this too much for them, and STANLEY OF ALDERLEY temporarily extinguished, amid almost uproarious mirth.