uilt in a day, nor the Cave of Adullam excavated in a week.
These things grow. You must have patience, and the Lowther Arcade
will still flourish. Let me see, whom you have got? There's BARTLEY,
HANBURY, and TOMMY BOWLES. LOWE, forming his Cave, hadn't so many to
start with."

"Yes," said the Master Builder, "that's all very well; but, fact is,
you can't reckon upon these fellows as being, so to speak, colonnades
in the Arcade. They are all on their own hook; fighting for their own
hand; won't take the lead from me; must go foraging for themselves.
HANBURY thinks he can boss a show better than most men. BARTLEY'S
obstreperous. TOMMY BOWLES would be all right if he were left to
himself, free from the companionship of designing men. He is young,
ingenuous, not wholly lost to a sense of regard for his pastors and
masters, lack of which is the curse of modern Youth. I believe TOMMY
respects me, and, only for the evil communications to which he is
subject on the back bench, would work loyally with me in establishing
the Arcade."

There was unwonted moisture in the Master Builder's eye as he turned
round, and regarded the Member for King's Lynn what time he softly
whistled to himself the old Jacobite air, "_Tommy make Room for your
Uncle_."

_Business done._--Vote of Censure moved by Prince ARTHUR; Government
majority runs up on division to 47; Ministerialists, fresh from
meeting at Foreign Office, agree that, on whole, have spent a happy
day. Debate spasmodically dull. Prince ARTHUR could not lift it out of
the rut, nor GRANDOLPH either. Only Mr. G. shone with effulgent light
through gloom of evening. Principal result of manoeuvre, beyond
giving fillip to majority, is that a day will be filched from meagre
holidays, and House must needs sit on Thursday.

_Tuesday._--Mr. G. looked in in time to say a few words in reply to
Prince ARTHUR'S inquiries as to business arrangements. Later he came
back, and delivered excellent speech; brief, and direct to point.
House been talking all morning round Vote on Account. MACFARLANE done
Rule-of-three sum, to show how twelve hundred days are lost every week
by necessity imposed upon Members of coming down two hours in advance
to take their seats. Some disposition shown by practical Members to
argue question whether there could be twelve hundred days in any week,
even in Leap-Year.

"I know I'm right," said MACFARLANE, and the sceptics, gazing
respectfully at his flowing beard, withdr