The Indianapolis journal., 1896-12-27
HUMORS OF PARLIAMENT.
Incidents Which Provoke the Great
est Laughter Are Accidental.

Casselrs Journal.
In the midst of political strife of fierce
verbal wrangling and hot party IeelnS,
there now and then occurs in the House
of Commons some incident. trifiing In it
self, perhaps, when weighed against the
business of the national assembly, but so
surcharsed with humor as to plunge the
House into a rolling sea of laughter AT
other times simple scene, permeated with
pathos, has sufficed TO change in moment
stern hearts to tender and to bring tears
fore had had nothing but flashes OF anger
in them.
Under the former category comes very
funny incident that happened some four
or five years ago. There was under dis
cussion at the time a motion connected
with some question of postal reform, and
a full house had mustered to hear a GER
tain member, an authority on the subject
deliver u speech in support or the PROPOSE
ton. Duly the turn OF the eminent MEM
ber came. He rose. doffed his hat, ana
commenced his speech. Amid a respectful
silence he delivered his carefully rec;
rirst point. lie mad been speaking for
about two minutes, and was in the middle
of an exceptionally melliiiuous sentence
when suddenly from behind MN tnere
spread Il ripple of laughter.
Thinking this was in no way occaSloned
by himself, the eminent member continued
his advocation of postal reform. But as
he went on he found that the more I'M
pressive his remarks the more general the
laughter grew. The orator turned red Mr.
Speaker sternly called for order. Nothing.
however seemed to check the hilarity of
the honorable members present. or rather
gentleman who was on his feet The men,
bers opposite were solemn enough, and in
deed looked puzzled at the unusual specta-
Gle Of the orators own party Laughing at
The postal reformer .valiantly went on
with his speech. despite continued low
Evidently something very funny must
have occurred to occasion so prolonged an
Outburst. But it was not till he sat down
that the speaker learned what it was. 1t
was then discovered that during the time
he had been advocating postal reform four
penny stamps had attached themselves to
his absolutely bald head. Just before en-
tering the House the speaker had placed
the stamps in the lining of his hat. somehow
they had slipped down and attached rita tnem-
incident had the effect of completely stul-
tifying the really able speech which the
member had delivered.
Here is another different scene. Con-
troversy had been the order OF the day at
Westminster, and high feelings had
uuent speech occasioning cheers from his
party and counter cheers from opponents.
Presently an attendant attracted the or
ator's attention. The latter paused and
took a telegram which the attendant hand
ed TO him. He read it, turned pale, and
reeled slightly. A moment before he had
been flushed with the pride of triumphant
debate and had swayed the House with
his words Now he was dLmfounded:
white and trembling. The House looked
ished speech But the member only rose
and murmured il "a broken voice: Mr..
Speaker. I say no more. / have finished"
Immediately after he left the House, to
the utter amazement of every one present.
Ten minutes later every one knew the
reason The telegram had been sent by
his wife stating that their only daughter
had met with a severe accident and was
at the point of death At once the whole
demeanor of the House changed. All the
bitterness of feeling which the debate had
occasioned Immediately changed to feel
ings of genuine sympathy and commiser-
ation
A little thing will often make stern men
weep. A member of Parliament recounts
how on one occasion Mr.. Gladstone. hav-
ing forgotten his glasses tried in vain to
read some notes he had prepared. He
struggled for a time with his eyes close
to the paper but in vain. With a gentle
pathetic smile he handed the paper to Mr..
John Morley to read. Trifling and bald
feet of reducing the majority of those
present to a state bordering on tears.