The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-07-17

out handful of papers from the bag
and finding them not exactly what he
wanted, he turned around and amid an
awful silence deliberately resumed The
search. OF course the first things That
came 10 hand were the comb and brush
Hastily thrus1ing them back among
the documents, he made another start
with his speech. But the fresh batch
| of papers also led 10 nowhere in partc-
ular. Coming to a break in his aryu-
| ment he turned once more TO the bag,
fearfully conscious of the presence of
the comb and brush With increased
delileration he rooted round. and fn,l-
ly. under the Impression tina, he had at
last seized the papers he sought he pro-
duced a pair of gray worsted stockings.
These approached the Irish question
from quite unexpected avenue The
house roared with laughter MIR. Della
hun;y still failing in his endeavor to
come across the missing note. took the
miscellaneous articles out of the bag,
spread them on the bench and with his
ps'h lu' Heu W tIe speaker. prosecutor
his search. When at last he found the
desired sheet of paper he went on as If
nothing had happened. the house listen
ing with high good humor to story
that had neither beginning. middle nor
end, through which the comb and brush
came and went, as Harlequin and Col
umbine purposelessly fit across the
stage in the intervals of pan;omine bus
mess.
Biggest, best Of all, there was Major
OGorman. The major was a man of
great height and stupendous girth Ills
voice when uplifted in oratorical effort
was like a peal Of thunder. These per-
sonal pecuiarities lent irresistible
charm to passage in his speech, de-
livered soon after he took his seat, ON
Mr.. Nediga;es annual RESOLUTION arcct-
ing conventual institutions. The major
had prepared for the purposes of his ar
snment a dramatic conversation br-
| tween higb-born mother superior of
convent and one Of the inspectors pro-
| posed to be constituted under Mr. New
dlgates bill. When the major, with
! fine mimetic art, recited the nun'Sp mart
OF the conversation, put on mincing
manner and assumed soft speech appro-
PIRATE to the character, the house went
into fit of laughter which prevented
! the conclusion of the dialogue being
heard. After this speech and up to the
withdrawal from the scene the major
was prime favorlte in the hpuse OF
commons, members .crowqing into hear
MIN as If word had gone round ,hat
Gladstone or Disraeli was up.
When Dr. kenealy moved for a royal
commission to inquire into the conduct
OF the Judges in the "richborne case. the
hgures were, against the motion 433. in
its favor one. The major was the mi
nority When asked why he should
have parted from his friends on such
an issue, he explained that it was a
warm evening, he knew the mo" lobby
would be crowded, so he thought nc
F.; would stroll through the other one.
| The majors humor was best when It
was unconscious But he had a ready
wit, as was shown in his correspondence
with an importunate constituent, who
urged him to obtain for him a local
postmastership. The major declined,
i on the ground that he would never stoop
I to accept a favor from a Saxon govern
ment. The man persisted, concluding
a third letter with the remark: "Shure,
major, ye've only to write line and the
thing would be done"
The major thereupon replied: Sir,
| am in receipt of your letter of the 5th
inst, in which you state / have only to
write a line in order that you should
obtain the appointment you desire. l
have, therefore, much pleasure in here
by appointing you postmaster of Balla-
mahooly. ! am, sir your obedient ser
| want,
| PURCELL O'GORMAN."
So recently as 1884 Sir Patrick O'Brien,
another richly endowed Irish member,
in debate on local Dublin bill, it being
two O'Clock in the morning, got IL little
| mixed as to whether ii was Mr. William
F., O'Brien who had interrupted his obsai-
vations with what he described as "a
guffaw. At first he !eaned towards
conviction that it was Mr.. Harrington,
4, of whom he incidentally remarked that
the honorable member was carrying
parcels for wage of three and sixpencc
a week when l representa- Kings coln-
ty at parliament" After staring with
bloCd-shot eye for some time at the lit
tie band of Parnellites opposite Sir Pat
accidentally got Mr.. William O'Bricn in
focus and convinced himself that it was
he who was the Offender Severa! tunes,
leaning forward. putting his hand to hi;
mouth. he inquired across the house in
L stage whisper whether Mr.. O'B,cn
was afraid No notice being taken. Sir
Pat hurriedly left the house, looked up
The O'Gorman Mahon. engaged him ~, y
second and returning informed Mr.
Ol'rien that everything was settled. All
he had to do was 10 pu. his man in
communication with thr ancicn: war
rior Sir Fat wanted in the lobby for an
hour. Mr. O'Brien maie 50 sign. ard
in the cCG:or a!.:.0aU Uncr" of Tie fellow