f conversation rising above
the voice of Member addressing the Chair. Only one placid figure under
the glass roof. Seated in side Gallery facing Treasury Bench was J.S.
BALFOUR; (no relation of Prince ARTHUR's, _bien entendu_) Question
put; Division bell rang; the bustle of eight hundred departing feet
disturbed J.S.B., and, stepping carefully down from the inconveniently
high Bench, he walked out to take part in the Division.

"All very well, dear TOBY," he said, "talking about eleven being the
age for half-timers. Eleven seems to me about the figure at which we
should knock off here. When it gets on to twelve in this hot weather,
I almost feel as if I could go to sleep." _Business done._--SYDNEY
BUXTON's Amendment to Factories Bill carried by 202 Votes against 186.

_Friday._--Question to-night, how would Government take their defeat
of yesterday? Soon settled; at earliest moment MATTHEWS appeared
at table, announced that Government "fully and cordially" accepted
decision of House. It was true that they had resisted, with fullest
strength, SYDNEY BUXTON's proposal. He himself, in powerful speech,
had demonstrated that, if Amendment were added to the Bill, the
heavens would fall, and the British Empire would stagger to its doom.
But that only his play; GORST really obliged to the House for beating
them, and Clause would be added to Bill. Done accordingly. Report
stage of Factories' Bill run through, and Third Reading taken.

Odd thing befell the universe last week. Happening to mention in this
Diary WOOTON ISAACSON, Member for Tower Hamlets, the dissolute Artist
drew fancy portrait of LEWIS ISAACS, Member for Newington; labelled
it from _Dod_, "A Progressive Conservative." Oddly enough, both
ISAACS and ISAACSON write themselves down in _Dod_ "A Progressive
Conservative." So our Artist (occasionally quite clear-headed),
got mixed up with the family; descended, so to speak, from ISAAC to
ISAAC'S SON. Not quite sure to which apology is due. Just as well
to mention it, so that, when the New Zealander reads his _Punch_ a
century or two hence, he may have a clear conception of the actuality.
_Business done_.--Quite a lot.

* * * * *

MORE RUSSIAN TYRANNY.--_Punch_ is not admitted into Russia unless
bound.

* * * * *

"THE SHODKIN."

[In a Jewish divorce case it was alleged that the petitioner
and respondent had been brought together by a "Shodkin