The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-29
BEACoNsFIELD's EYEGLASSES,

British Statesman's Dexterous Use of
This Little Article.
Few accessories of personal attire
have played a more interesting part in
parliamentary life than the simple eye
glass. The silk hat, as we know, is in
dispensable; a member of the House of
Commons often moves and has his be-
ing entirely by virtue of his headgear;
but the deterous use of the parliament
tary eyeglass has often produced thrill
ing impressions.
, The greatest conjurer in the use Of
this little article the historic legislative
chamber ever contained was the late
Lord Beaconsffeld It has often been
said of him that he was a splendid ac-
tor. He certainly contriVed by a sort
of dumb show with his eyeglass to Gre
ate striking theatrical effects, and the
manner in which he would manage,
when it suited him, to lose the thing in
the folds of his clothing, so that he
could pause in his speech while he fun
bled for the missing article-a mOmen-
tary respite which gave him time to
think-was a frequent subject of mirth
in the smoking rooms.
One incident of the kind will never
be forgotten by those who witnessed it,
Mr. Disraeli, then prime minister, was
speaking with geat solemnity on
question of foreign policy. He had
been several times noisily interrupted
by a somewhat boisterous representa-
tive, who threw out tropical cheers
without any relevant application. At
the third or fourth attempt the great
minister stopped abruptly in the mid
die of a sentence. There was dead ST
lence in the crowded house as members
watched the statesman slowly feel for
his eyeglass, mechanically adjust it to
his eye, and then, turning to the direc-
ton of the interruption, give the High
land gentleman one expressive look.
Having satisfied himself off the identl-
ty Of the offender, an expression came
over the prime minister's face which
seemed to say: ooh, it's you, is it?
Poor fellow, you don't know BETTER.
The eyeglass dropped with a clink
against the watch chain and the speak
err resumed his remarks at the very
point of the broken sentence. That
honorable member had goodsreason to-
remember the episode throughout his
parliamentary career. His, colleagues
never allowed him to forget it,
When Disraeli could find his eyeglass
in a hurry and fix 1t promptly it was a
sure sign that he was annoyed. In the
course of heated debate the prime
minister was once repelling an attack
made upon him by Mr.. Gladstone.
The veteran Liberal teader made some
audible comment upon what Disraeii
was saying, which in the excitement OF
the moment Henry Chaplin took upon
himself to answer across the floor Of
the house. Mr.. Chaplin had not under
stood the point of Mr. Gladstone's crit
icism, and his interruption gave the old
parliamentary hand an opportunity Of
putting in an explanation which the
prime minister did not want. When it
came to his turn to resume his speech
he firmly placed his eyeglass and,
turning almost viciously upon Mr..
Chaplin (who, of course, sat on the
ministerial side), and. looking hard at
him, exclaimed: "Sir, am not obliged
to my right honorable friend for this
interruption. Pail Mall Gazette.