r Brisson, then leaped to his feet
and implored the legislators not to make a sensation while the streets
outside were in a turmoil.

Premier Meline replied that the Government would quell the turmoil in
the streets, and that those men should be blamed for the scandal who had
started it. Then he condemned the socialistic newspapers for their
attacks on the Government.

The socialistic newspapers are those papers that advocate the doctrine
of Socialism, which may be said to have grown out of the French
Revolution.

Socialism is founded on the theory that all rights and privileges and
benefits should be shared equally by all the members of the community,
and that the wealth of the world should be in the hands of the
Government, which should have the power of distributing it. The
citizens, instead of competing with one another, as they do now, should
work together for the general good and be paid alike.

Many people believe that though this doctrine sounds very
Christian-like, it would not work. The industrious would get no more for
their labor than the idle. So the idle would become more idle, and the
industrious would lose all incentive to do their best.

At any rate, Socialism has made great progress in France, and it is
greatly feared there by its enemies. Its friends, on the contrary, think
that it is going to make the world very much better than it is at
present.

The friends of Socialism in the Chamber of Deputies became greatly
excited by Premier Meline's censure of their papers. The excitement
reached a climax when one member accused another of being a scoundrel
and a coward, and several fights took place. Even the people in the
galleries fought among themselves, and hurled abuse down at the members.

The scene was not unlike one of those disgraceful scenes that took place
in the Reichsrath of Austria a few weeks ago.

The reporters were then asked to leave, and the rest of the session was
conducted in secret. On entering the corridors the reporters found them
crowded with soldiers who had been called out at the beginning of the
trouble in case they should be needed.

Fortunately, their interference was not required.

Think of what the excitement is likely to be when Zola is brought to
trial!

* * * * *

[Illustration: A VEILED EGYPTIAN BEAUTY.]

There has been so much secrecy about the Egyptian troubles that it is
not easy to explain England's present activity on th