to
the Distinguished Strangers' Gallery in the expectation that on the
feast-day of our national saint and the birthday of our national poet he
would be privileged to listen to a series of eloquent speeches upon
patriotism, delivered by our most accomplished orators, must have been
deeply disappointed. The one subject that the House of Commons seems to
care about is food.

The CONTROLLER has hit one section of the House in its tenderest portion.
Those Members who make their mid-day meal off tea and bread-and-butter
think it very hard that they should be allowed no more bread than others
who take the full luncheon. On their behalf Mr. LONDON, like _The
Carpenter_, said, "Give us another slice." But, despite a slight facial
resemblance to _The Walrus_, Colonel LOCKWOOD was inexorable.

The late Mr. JUSTIN MCCARTHY was once described by his ex-leader as "a nice
old gentleman for a quiet tea-party." If anyone had said that a Sunday-
School treat would furnish the appropriate _milieu_ for that ardent
Pacifist, Mr. JOWETT, I should, until this afternoon, have been inclined to
agree with him. But it is evident that his acquaintance with Sunday-School
treats is purely academic, for in requesting the FOOD CONTROLLER to remove
the ban lately placed upon them he spoke of the treat as a "simple meal,
consisting of _a_ bun and tea only." The italic is our own comment on this
estimate of the capacity of our brave tea-fighters.

_Tuesday, April 24th._--Those Members to whom their constituents have given
notice to quit at the next election, and who have recently been somewhat
depressed by the thought of the impending loss to the nation of their
valuable services, are plucking up heart again now that the life of
Parliament is to be once more extended. Mr. KING, for example, was in his
best form this afternoon. It goes without saying that his advice to the
Board of Agriculture to set a good example to the country by sending their
racehorses out to grass was well received, for any reference to the
Government stud is equivalent to the "Pass the mustard" of the established
humourist. His real success came when Mr. BONAR LAW denied that Sir GEORGE
MCCRAE had been appointed Chief Whip to the Government. Mr. KING drawled
out, "As _The Times_ has stated that this gentleman was so appointed will
its foreign circulation be stopped?" Then the laughter came spontaneous and
loud.

[Illustration: _Hodge._ "I'M TO BE QUEEN OF THE MAY."]

Another