called Doctor, it means that he is either a lawyer or a physician,
and that he is not a self-educated man, but is college-bred, and has
been diplomaed for merit.

That answers the question of the constitution of the House. Now as to
the House's curious manners. The manners exhibited by this convention of
Doctors were not at that time being tried as a wholly new experiment.
I will go back to a previous sitting in order to show that the deputies
had already had some practice.

There had been an incident. The dignity of the House had been wounded
by improprieties indulged in in its presence by a couple of the members.
This matter was placed in the hands of a committee to determine where
the guilt lay and the degree of it, and also to suggest the punishment.
The chairman of the committee brought in his report. By this it appeared
that in the course of a speech, Deputy Schrammel said that religion
had no proper place in the public schools--it was a private matter.
Whereupon Deputy Gregorig shouted, 'How about free love!'

To this, Deputy Iro flung out this retort: 'Soda-water at the
Wimberger!'

This appeared to deeply offend Deputy Gregorig, who shouted back at Iro,
'You cowardly blatherskite, say that again!'

The committee had sat three hours. Gregorig had apologised. Iro
explained that he didn't say anything about soda-water at the Wimberger.
He explained in writing, and was very explicit: 'I declare upon my word
of honour that I did not say the words attributed to me.'

Unhappily for his word of honour, it was proved by the official
stenographers and by the testimony of several deputies that he did say
them.

The committee did not officially know why the apparently inconsequential
reference to soda-water at the Wimberger should move Deputy Gregorig
to call the utterer of it a cowardly blatherskite; still, after proper
deliberation, it was of the opinion that the House ought to formally
censure the whole business. This verdict seems to have been regarded as
sharply severe. I think so because Deputy Dr. Lueger, Burgermeister
of Vienna, felt it a duty to soften the blow to his friend Gregorig
by showing that the soda-water remark was not so innocuous as it might
look; that, indeed, Gregorig's tough retory was justifiable--and he
proceeded to explain why. He read a number of scandalous post-cards
which he intimated had proceeded from Iro, as indicated by the
handwriting, though they were anonymous. Some of them were