The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-03-08
read in a grating and monotonorls
voice, until the minute hand marks the

caring nothing whether they hear hin
or not; all he wants is TO talk the Hous'
out. At such times homely Joe Bigga
Iseems transferred. a light o'erspread
his face; those quaint and elGn reature!
look glorifed. It is Mr.. Biggar's hour
of rapture--he is in possession Of the
supreme enjoyment Of
4 WORRYING THE DETEsrED BRITON
4 '.Mr. Blggar's happy hunting ground
lis among the four or FIVE hundred stolid
mediocrities of the rank and file Of the
British representation. He goes about
seeking victims. There are certain
English members over whom Mr Bigga1
exercises a sort Of mesmeric influence
These are country members who occa
sionallY desire to get Off ia a speech in
order to make a show of doing some.
thing before their constituents. The
member fo- Mudford-on Podge rises
with the carefully prepared copy of his
oratlon, which he is going to mail to
the Mudford Weekly Bulwark Of the
Constitution. in his hand. He looks
neryously round for Mr.. B!ggar. Hap,
pfness! The tormentor is not to be
seen. He begins, but he has scarcely
got through his opening sentences when
Mr.. Biggar pops up like an imp from a
bench right opposite him, and, seating
himself in conspicuous place where all
the House can see him, and curling up
his legs till his chin rests between his
knees, begins to leer and snigger at the
honorable member, and to interject
loud hear hears at the most absurd
points. Invariably this proves too
much for the poor victim. who breaks
down in his speech before the House
has got to understand wnat he has been
talking about. Whereupon Mr.. Biggar
retire5 to the LOBBY and treats himself
to teetotal drink.
''It would make quite an interesting
volume to describe the thousand and
one crafty ways in which Mr.. Biggar
laws for the little bills of such mem
bers as this One has bill with refer
ence to a little water works; another
wants a new gas company chartered
for some country town. Surely Mr..
Biggar will let these alone, or cannot
know of them even. After long waiting
the opportunity for introducing one of
these bills at last arrives. The mem
ber produces t--and discovers that the
little innocent is dead, with Mr..
Biggar's knife stuck through Its body.
A blocking notion Of the evil genius
has caused 1t to be sbelved till that
day six months;' and the member with
draws broken hearted with
PEALs OF UNCANNY LAUGHTER
from somewhere on the Irish benches
ringing in his ears"
Probably the most audacious Of Mr..
Blggar's many acts-tO English eyes.
at least-was his summary expulsion
of the Prince of Wales from the House
gallery 1t happened something after
this manner. 1t is rule of the House
Of Commons that any member may
have the galleries cleared by calling the
attention of the speaker to the fact that
there are strangers in them. One even
ing, during a particularly interesting
session. Mr.. Biggar happened to cast a
glance upward aud saw, among others,
the prince seated in the place set aside
for visitors. Quick as thought he rose
in his place, and in his peculiar way
drawled out:
'.Mr. Speaker, I call your attention
to the fact that there are strangers in
the gallery" !"
4 It was not a question for debate, but
for action, and the speaker ordered the
Black Rod to see that the persons who
were disturbing the mind Of the gentle
man from Cavan were at once removed.
The Black Rod cleared the galleries,
but did not deem it his place to ask
Albert E lward and suit to move, they
being different from the common herd,
in his judgment.
Not so MIR. Biggar. No sooner had
the ushars resumed their stations, and
reported their duty done, than, having
assured himself by a glance that the
prince was still present, he rose in his
place. and calmly repeated:
Mr. Speaker, call your attention
to the fact that there are strangers in
the gallery
a "a. 4.