New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-19

her influence in high quarters he may nav
been almost as sceptical as sir arthur Nl'u'
welcome to him, was that LADY "hoh eNe"
he. bold as he was had not yet venturea 70 "p
proach with serious addresses was apVut ~
commit herself somewhat deeply on MS pen'"
Therefore all he said was: r,
"Ahi / wish | were going to Hompurs; a,
oh you can't do that" returned Lady Aui,
stick to your guns. Don't make any "oa
speeches; only let t be understood, Wheh you
see an opportunity, that you withdraw hothlns;
Mr. Crxwell smiled again He had aredu!
decided to adopt those tactics. but discretion
once more deferred him from saying SO ~
suited him very WELL for the time peins, {"
accept the part Of this clever ac,Ne, anu his
confident woman's disciple lotwithstahdins t M
belief that he was quite capable OF playing Ms
own cards in his own way. liz;
Now although he was pretty sure of him
self and Lady Adisham was at least equa"S
sure of herself the truth was that 9uo'09
was ANYTHING but a certainty for either oI
them All. in short. depended upon "heln l.
Mr. COxwell. who had not preclsey "oi
the affection Of his chiefs. was indispensable or
not and experience proves that very ie" Ps"i'e
indeed are Indispensable Lady AdishaHi, Trip
ming lightly up to the First Lord of the Treas
urv in the vicinity of the EliZabethan spring AT
Homburg one fine morning, was received with
much cordiality by that nobleman, but was as
sured before she had been five minutes IN con
versotion with him. that if there was subject
upon which he really had nothing to say ana
which he would fain forget ii was contemporary
British politics H., nm,
abroad" he declared still less do thlnk vi
perusng other peoples speeches IL Is so easy
not to look at them!' >,
sham. what Mr. Coxwel and Sir Arthur Middle
ton have been saying. They are absolutely a.
variance: they couldn't be more at variance
Indeed, it just comes to this that one or o'"e'
OF them will have to knock under.
Really" said the Prime Minister, with raised
eyebrows. Dear ne! Then suppose CoxweH
will have to knock under. That VIII DO MN ho
harm
"If he prefers to resign. harm will be done, not
only to him. but to the party, Lady Adisham
valiantly asserted. Besides" she added, !
don't want MIN to resign
"Ahi that is serious
II am perfectly serious though you are SO
rude to laugh at me- regard the Wh1ie
thing as a personal matter. Sir Arthur Mlddle-
ton only spoke as he did in order to annoy me-
and because he knows that Mr.. CoXwell Is
friend of mine"
How disgraceful of HIM"
We'll il was foolish Of him. and should IKE
to convince him that it was You see no" ira"h
/ am,
The Prime Minister laughed. But. my dear
lady why is Mr.. CoXWe friend OF yours
MY acquaintance with him is as yet slight
but isn't he rather
oh perhaps Not very, though-not to
any extent that signifies And he is prodig-
iously clever; added to when ne mas popular
opinion at his back
IF he has popular opinion at his back he VIII
not require even your powerful advocacy, hut
cur rulers are given to changing their MINDS
from one moment to another. Meanwhile. what
step do YOU wish me to take? Am | to make
public declaration that we, too, have not quite
made up our minds yet, and that neither MID
dleton nor Coxwell can tell what may be our
future pOicyY'
"Of course not All want you to promise is
that you won't be persuaded to squash Mr..
CoxWelI. Then We shall be all right up to next
February which is a long time hence All sorts
Of things may happen before next February"
Very true. Then will promise not TO squash
your friend, upon two conditions: Firstly, you
are not to mention his name to me again; and.
secondly, you are to dine with us at the Cursal
this evening"
Every evening, If you like" cried her lady
ship gratefully.
This was generous of her because the Prime
Minister'S wife a terrible old bore. of whom
the smarter and hvelier persons whose society
she had looked forward to enjoying were wont
to fight shy But in the case Of friendship some
sacrifices must be incurred. Let us hope that
the Prime Minister. at all events was preserved
from boredoms by the concession which he had
earned. The concession which he himself had
made perhaps less important than Lady
Adisham took it to be. He did not. it may be
assumed wish to throw over subordinate who
was brilliant in debate and even more upon
the platform; very likely too. he was waiting
Gor such was his habiD to ascertain which way
the wind blew before shaping the course Of the
vessel OF state through another parliamentary
session If SO, the language of the newspapers
during the recess, and the reception accorded in
late autumn to a cautious Grafton from his own
lips probably furnished him with the desired in
formation. The country, it seemed, was becom-
ing uneasy a conviction was gaining ground
that recent negotiations with foreign Powers
had not resulted in d triumph of British di-
plomacy, and the man in the street was be
ginning to assert, with his customary empha-
sis that if we had not many ships as we
ought to have somebody deserved hanging At
the Lord Mayors banquet, which the Premier
was unfortunately prevented by indispOsltOn
from attending. Sir Arthur Middleton took oc-
casion to affirm once more that the fleet was
efficient and su'iicient-a statement which was
promptly disputed. not only by the Opposition
press. but 10y several organs which usually sup