andy vessel to steer. He dares not concede too many powers to the
new Parliaments lest he should be putting weapons into the hands
of our Sinn Fein enemies; on the other hand, he cannot reduce them
overmuch lest the Bill should cease to have any chance of conciliating
Irish sentiment.

The dilemma arose acutely over the clause relating to the Irish
police. When, if ever, should they be handed over to the new
Government? The Bill said not later than three years after the
appointed day. An amendment suggested "not earlier." Sir EDWARD CARSON
thought the only fair thing would be to allow the police to retire on
full pay directly the Bill came into force, instead of leaving them
with a divided allegiance and control. Eventually, on the Government
undertaking to modify their proposals, the clause was passed; but with
so many matters to be adjusted on Report it looks as if it will be a
LONG, LONG way to Tipperary.

[Illustration: "OH, EAST IS EAST."

_Mechanical Transport Officer._ "I TOLD YOU NOT TO DRIVE FAST THROUGH
THE BAZAAR."

_Lorry Driver._ "BUT, SAHIB, THESE BE ONLY VERY IGNORANT PEOPLES. ME
MOTA DRIVER! IF DRIVE SLOW, THESE PEOPLES THINK ME COMMON PERSON."]

* * * * *

PERCE MURGATROYD, MASTER BRICKLAYER.

BY ONE WHO KNEW HIM.

By the untimely death of the late Mr. Percival Murgatroyd we suffer
the irreplaceable loss of our youngest and perhaps most talented
master bricklayer. The story of his life is yet another example of
genius triumphing over adversity. Perce Murgatroyd was born in a
mean street. His father was a poor hardworking physician. Lacking the
influence necessary for the introduction of his boy to some lucrative
commercial calling he contrived at great self-sacrifice to educate him
for the Civil Service.

The long hours of grinding toil and the complete lack of sympathy at
home could not extinguish the divine fire of genius in the youthful
Murgatroyd. Exhausted and hungry as he often was at the end of the
day's work, he devoted his leisure to the study of bricks and mortar,
and out of his scanty pocket-money he bought for himself first a
trowel and later a plummet.

When I first made his acquaintance he was already, at the age of
twenty-five, assisting a bricklayer's helper, and was fairly launched
on a career of unbroken success which was to culminate in a master
bricklayership at the record age of thirty-eight.

Some of the finest things Murgatroyd did are