The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-28
A Visit 10 Parliament.
WHAT A WOMAN SAW FROM HER GRATED PEN ~
THE COMMONS GALLERY.

a visit 10 Parliament.
WHAT A WOMAN SAW FROM HER GRATED PEN /,
THE COMMONS GALLERY.
IKate Field. in the Christian Union.l
Through many vindings, up innumera
bic stairs, women attain the door leading t(
their pen. On my last visit, one hour be-
fore the House assembled. il was locked
and dozen women stood before it ready tC
make raid on the front seats. At last
the imposing usher appeared, unlocked
the door, and the scramble began,
but we were stopped in our mad ca
recr by the imperturbable person in black,
who, after comparing our names win those
on his list, allowed us 10 proceed. By s
firm but not ri0tous display Of muscle Sc
cured a front seat. "This is beautiful, Is II
not :" said an elderly lady to her COM
panion. "What have you brought with
you?" "Sherry. sandwiches, and some
sal volatile" VERY sensible, my DEAR"
added the elderly lady. Just before leay-
| ing home / had some sausages, because they
are STAYING" Women speak little IN this
pen, the effect OF the grating being depress'
inc. No men are allowed, NJ. P.'s excepted,
who dropped in occasionally to see their
friends. The only diversion is tea, or a
chop served IN q retiring-rOOm.
The moment NJ. P.'s enter the House they
remove their hats, bow 10 the Speaker, and
gen rally cover their heads on sitting down.
Whether this very unciyil and unbecomlng
custom is due to there being no place for
hats saving under the benches, where they
may be kicked about, or TO the assumption
that lawmakers are superior beings.
entitled TO wear their hats i'll the pre-
sence of law itself, as the heads Of
some certain Spanish grandees remain
covered in the presence OF royalty. |
leave 10 Inauguration. One thing is certain :
Keeping the head constantly covered does
not improve the hair; ball heads are many
among Commoner>. a generous growth
OF hair is exceptional, even young men
carefully brushing their locks over the tops
OF their heads 10 conceal the coming ska
tine-rink. Some heads resemble magDiiied
biihard-balls. | have gazed upon bald
Uranium where the self.esteem ran up 10
such point that all the hair slid down hill
and took refuge at he base Of the brain.
To distinguish one man from another re-
quires far-sighted vision, and the effect OF
several hundred hats is not more imposing
than an equal number of stove pipes. Glad
stone and John Bright are almost the only
men whose heads are regularly uncovered.
II is most interesting to see these two clever
men sitting beside each other, with their
heads together, looking like venerable owls.
Gladstone seems 10 enjoy sitting on the
middle OF his back. and John Bright APP
parently derives comfort from crossing fist
one leg and then the other. This sort Of
thing proves that even great men are
human. Lord Harrington will wear his
hat, and ali we learn from our pen is that
IA .lnsi
The House assemblies at 3:4j =. NJ. First
the doors i1y open; then the Speaker" Is
announced. The usher of the black rod,
bearing. the mace. bows in the Speaker,
who is arrayed in long black gown and
flowing wig. He is followed by the chap
lam and another in wig and gown. The
Speaker mount, his throne; the black rod
lays the mace "a gold crown poised on q red
velvet pole long enough to bandie) across
the lower end of the table. VI. P.'s OF a
punctual turn of mnd-their came is not
egion-suddealy appear, and the chaplain
reads the prayers of the day. We in the
deer-pen hear nothing.
After the chaplain has gallOped through
his duty he exits Backward; many OF the
VI. P.'s rush out, as though they had just
remembered they ought TO be somewhere
else, and Business begins. a clerk in wig
and gown, standI1g at the head OF the
table, reads about petitions and other mat
tiers in SO mumbiRS. a voice that | can't
bear. NJ. P.'s don't wish to, for they jump
up aud apparently sly things 10 themselves,
for not one word rei aches us women. 1t is
q tradition in the provinces that members
are glued TO their stNts from 3:45 L. NJ.
until 7 O'Clock, wher they Dash home,
embrace their wives, if they have any,
swallow a chop, and ,eturn 10 immediate
on the altar OF their country
until or O'clock in the morning. Poor
provinces! About fifty m embers do the
work, aud no member, actlN or otherwise,
renr,ins in The House il he can help it.
Our senators and representa- ives when not
busy in committees are found IN their seats,
but our system is different. we put6e,ks,
and papers, and pens and ink. and books OF
reference before our legislal 0rs, and Cell
them to write their letters, az, with one
eye and beth ears on the speakers. Eng
land furnishes her legislators with nothing
bat hard be2cbes, and when they want to !
write or improve their minds they retire to 1
the library or elsewhere. ] don't blame
NJ. Y.'s for retGeating, particularly in warm |
weather, when Ehey can sit on charming |
terrace overlooking the Thames, aud with |
he other may gaze at the moon, West
minister bridge, aRd st. Thomas's hospital, |
discussing British interests and the last
scandal, while gentle zephyr kisses their
manly brows. What being in his senses |
would not prefer this TO the stufiy atmos-
Dhere and prosy talk OF the House? When (
NJ. P.'s are really wanted well warns |
hem, and in tive minutes they are all In |
heir seats ready for division. Parliament- |
Try disturbances generally occur before I
dinner or several hours after, when he In
ler man cries aloud for supper. II is use-
ess TO deny that we are creatures If ap,re-
lie and that brains are an affair OF digcs.
ion. AS for myself, have sat in this
ieefpeD for ten hours at time. hoping
o he startled by burst OF eloquegcc.
ave sat IN vain. Hereafter shall take nv
iohse OF Commons the uex. morning for
breakfast, FepoitoriaIIy.