he was
allowing a valuable clue to slip out of his hands, as it were.

"Wait here a moment," I said, "till I get an order for your
admission."

[Illustration]

Absent only a few minutes; when I got back terrible commotion; _Mr.
P.'s_ friend was in the hands of the Police; they had attempted to
take his scythe from him, and he had smartly rapped one on the head
with his hour-glass.

"I've carried it a million years," he said, swinging the scythe with
practised hand, till he made a clean sweep of the police-dogs.

"Make it a couple of millions, whilst you are at it, young man," said
a sarcastic police-dog.

With some difficulty calmed him; explained that no one, not even a
Member, was permitted to enter House with a scythe, or other lethal
weapon. Only exception made once a year, when Hon. Members, moving
and seconding Address, are allowed to carry property-swords, which
generally get between their legs. TIME partially mollified at last,
consented to leave scythe behind chair of door-keeper, where the late
TOM COLLINS used to secrete his gingham-umbrella.

"It seems to me," he said, "that the public are treated in this place
worse than jackals. Hustled from pillar to post, suspected of
unnamed crimes, grudged every convenience, and generally regarded as
intolerable intruders."

"Ah," said _Mr. P._, "we manage things much better at Westminster."

"Order! Order!" cried an angry voice, and _Mr. P._ and his companion
were within an ace of being trundled out of the gallery, where
strangers are permitted to see and hear whatever is possible from
their position--and it is not much.

"What are they talking about?" asked TIME, in guarded whisper, being,
by this time, completely cowed.

"They haven't reached public business yet," I explained. "Been for
last two hours debating a private Bill, providing that the pump-handle
in the village of Plumberry shall be chained at eight o'clock at
night. The Opposition want it done at nine."

"Well, I suppose they know all about it," said TIME. "Probably been
down to Plumberry, examined into bearing of whole question, and formed
their opinion accordingly?"

"Nothing of the sort; some of them don't even know where Plumberry
is--never heard its name before this Pump-handle business came up.
Don't even now wait in House to hear question, debated by Members
with local knowledge. You see only twenty or thirty Members in their
places. But, when bell rings for division, four hundred