FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   >>  
Piano_). "LOOK HERE, ALGY. I DO CALL IT BEASTLY BAD FORM FOR YOU AND SIKES TO TALK WHEN I'M SINGING!" _Algy_. "ALL RIGHT, OLD MAN--AWFULLY SORRY--DIDN'T KNOW YOU _WERE_ SINGING, YOU KNOW!"] * * * * * ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT. EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P. _House of Commons, Tuesday, June 23_, 12'15 A.M.--House just adjourned; a little dazed by shock of narrow escape from grievous danger. Been at it through greater part of night debating Second Reading of Education Bill. JULIUS 'ANNIBAL PICTON led off with speech of fiery eloquence. The SQUIRE of MALWOOD declares he never listens to J.A.P. without an odd feeling that there have been misfits. Both his voice and his gestures are, he says, too large for him. But that, as ALGERNON BORTHWICK shrewdly points out, is professional jealousy supervening on the arrogance of excessive stature. The SQUIRE, though not lacking in moods of generosity, cannot abear a rival in the oratorical field. Had things turned out differently to-night, he might have enjoyed the advantage of addressing House at this favourable hour, whilst its withers were yet unwrung. [Illustration: Sir Algernon.] But JULIUS 'ANNIBAL has not studied his great ancestor's strategy for nothing. As soon as Second Reading of Education Bill appeared on the paper, he romped in, and put down Amendment. Needn't move it; didn't mean to move it; doesn't move it; but he gets first place in principal Debate of Session, and shows himself worthy of it by the luminous argument and almost passionate eloquence of his oration. It wasn't that the House was disturbed about. The particular incident arose a quarter of an hour before midnight, when CRANBORNE suddenly got up and moved Adjournment of Debate. J.A. had bowled him and others over in the earlier part of the Sitting; but there was a second night, and the HOPE of HATFIELD determined he would collar that. Had the Motion for Adjournment been accepted, he would, in accordance with usage, have opened the ball when the House met again once more, fresh, and in the mood to listen. But JOKIM objected to losing the quarter of an hour. "We can," he said, pleasantly, "bear another speech." All right; CRANBORNE only a private Member, and modest withal; not the person to argue with his pastors and masters. So resumed his seat. If they wanted to use up the time, let some one else speak through the quarter of an hour. Had things been s
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   >>  



Top keywords:
quarter
 

ANNIBAL

 

JULIUS

 
speech
 

eloquence

 
SQUIRE
 

Education

 

SINGING

 

Reading

 

Second


Adjournment

 
Debate
 

things

 

CRANBORNE

 

luminous

 

pleasantly

 

argument

 

Session

 

worthy

 
passionate

disturbed

 

principal

 
oration
 

appeared

 

romped

 

ancestor

 

strategy

 
Amendment
 

wanted

 
incident

Sitting

 

modest

 

earlier

 

withal

 
HATFIELD
 

determined

 

accepted

 
collar
 

accordance

 

person


opened

 
listen
 

losing

 

objected

 

resumed

 

midnight

 

Motion

 

suddenly

 

Member

 

bowled