“No, TOBY,” he said; “it’s not that; it’s the Leader.  Haven’t you seen what the Morning Advertiser says about me?  ’For the first time in our recollection he (that’s me) bears on his political escutcheon a deep smudge of dishonour’:  and that’s all because JOKIM wouldn’t take a penny off a barrel of beer, and twopence off a gallon of spirits.  It’s the injustice I feel most acutely.  It doesn’t seem fair that Mr. BUNG should try to intimidate JOKIM by abusing me.”

“It is hard,” I said; “but it’s no use sitting moping here.  Come along into House; they’re in Committee on the Land Bill; an hour or two of that’ll freshen you up.”  And it did.

Business done.—­In Committee on the Irish Land Bill.

* * * * *

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