ote, apparently
without preparation, and which left nothing more to be said.

"Upon my word, Sir," I said, a little out of breath trying to keep pace
with him running up the Duke of YORK'S steps going home to dinner, "you
grow younger every year, and, if I may say so, mellower."

"You certainly may say so, TOBY, if you like," he smilingly replied, "but
the calendar says otherwise."

"What," I asked--

"What has the calendar to do
With Mr. G.? What Time's fruitless tooth
With gay immortals such as you,
Whose years but emphasise your youth?"

"Ah, I know that--with a slight difference. LOWELL wrote it to WENDEL
HOLMES on his seventy-fifth birthday. I knew HOLMES too; he used to crow
over me because he was just four months older, and yet, as he said, whilst
I pleaded age as a reason why I could not visit the United States, he
crossed the Atlantic at seventy-seven. Perhaps when I've got this Home-Rule
question off my hands, I may find time to go to the United States."

"Yes," I said, "you'll be another year younger then, and more at leisure."

_Business done._--Indian Council Bill read Second Time.

[Illustration: R. Cuninghame Graham.]

_Tuesday._--Some sensation created at Morning Sitting by discovery of
CUNINGHAME GRAHAM addressing House from Conservative Benches. There was a
well-known Member of the Parliament of 1874 who hit upon new device for, as
he reckoned, doubling his chance of catching SPEAKER'S eye. Noted that
SPEAKER called alternately upon Members from either side. If debate were
opened from Opposition Benches, SPEAKER would next turn to other side of
House, and call on Ministerialist. Happy thought occurred to our old
friend. After rising several times from his seat below Gangway on
Opposition Benches, and been passed over by SPEAKER in favour of another,
he, whilst Member was speaking, crossed floor of House, and, when speech
concluded, jumped up from other side. Being again ignored by the startled
SPEAKER, went back to own place again to try his chances there. Don't
remember that the manoeuvre was a success. Certainly not been generally
adopted.

GRAHAM seems now to have recurred to it; or can it be the case that he,
too, has joined "the Gentlemen of England"? House so agitated by this
problem, that it quite loses thread of debate; a thrilling discussion, to
which FERGUSSON contributed a luminous speech, upon the Telephone.

WILFRID LAWSON much interested in new development of affa